Wisdom and Courage
by MiniJen
Summary: The Princess of Destiny and the Hero of Time are eternally bound by fate. They are known by many titles: the last of Royal Family and the Hylian Knights. The ones of the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero. The bearers of Wisdom and Courage. And, they are star crossed lovers destined to free Hyrule from the shadows that cover it. Book 2 of the Bound Destinies Trilogy.
1. Preface

**Wisdom and Courage**

**Book 2 of the Bound Destinies Trilogy**

_**Author's Preface (please read before continuing!)**_

_Hello everyone! So at the time of me writing this short little preface, this story is actually 17 chapters (in counting) in. Normally I don't write prefaces before my stories, but I feel as though this is necessary. When I first started writing Wisdom and Courage, I had intended for it to be my most ambitious project yet, my 'magnum opus' as it were ;) I wanted it to be based in the world of Ocarina of Time using its characters along with many elements and characters from Majora's Mask as well. But as time went on, I started to add elements from Twilight Princess to it and eventually even a few Skyward Sword references. _

_I originally intended for Wisdom and Courage to be a standalone piece, but as I continued to develop the story, the more I wanted to give it a sequel or maybe even make it part of a trilogy. And so, I eventually decided to write a trilogy of stories, each interconnected in their lore. This first story is set post-Ocarina of Time, but the next story I write in this trilogy will be set post-Skyward Sword and the final story will be post-Twilight Princess. The entire Trilogy will be entitled the Bound Destinies Trilogy. _

_Before I give a more in-depth summary of Wisdom and Courage, allow me to elaborate on a few common lore-related elements (and other things) that will appear in all three stories. The main antagonists of each story will be related by way of being part of the same tribe and ancestry (no spoilers as to which tribe that is!) Termina, Majora's Mask, and the Fierce Deity's Mask will play a part in each story as well as Fi. The Triforce will be the common goal for all three antagonists (who will all be female by the way), along with control of Hyrule (or in Skyward Sword's case, the Surface). Some other elements will only appear in two certain stories and not the other one, so keep that in mind! And that's all I'm going to tell you for now! No more spoilers! If you wanna find out how all of these elements come together in an epic combination, you'll have to read on!_

_So about Wisdom and Courage. W&C takes place seven years after Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask (in what would have been the adult era of Ocarina of Time), within the Child timeline. Within the story, Link and Zelda are about 17 years old and have spent much of their childhood together (everything since Link's return to Hyrule after the events of Majora's Mask), which makes them really close friends and in case you're wondering, yes, I will be shipping them in this story heavily. The first few chapters of the story are largely some establishing romantic fluff, with some foreshadowing into the plot which kicks in with the intro of our villain in chapter 8: Sorceress of Shadow. Just a warning, this story is rated T for violence, blood, torture, and thick moral conflict, but I can promise you that there is not really any strong language or sexual themes._

_Before I leave you to read the actual story allow me to give you a glimpse of the next two stories of the trilogy. Because I plan on writing the Skyward Sword story next, I'm kind of writing these out of chronological order (like how Nintendo makes the Zelda games in the first place __ The Skyward Sword story will be entitled Blood and Spirit and will most likely take place about a year or less after Skyward Sword (and will also feature a lot of Link and Zelda shipping, __I'm not giving out any plot synopsise yet until after Wisdom and Courage is over ;)_

_The Twilight Princess story will serve as a sequel to Wisdom and Courage and its current name (I may change it before I actually publish it) will be Light and Shadow. I'm not entirely sure if there will be much shipping between Link and Zelda in this one, simply because I'm not crazy about shipping the two of them in that game in the first place. It will take place not too long after TP and I can promise that Midna will make a significant appearance! :D The bad news is that this one won't be coming until Wisdom and Courage and Blood and Spirit are done, so sorry!_

_Well, that's just about it with my overly long preface. I really hope you enjoy this story for those of you who haven't read it yet, and for those of you who have continue to enjoy! I've really put my heart and soul into this story and I hope it shows! Please leave me as many reviews as you want because I love feedback. So enjoy! And until next time! :D_


	2. Hylian Sunset

**Wisdom and Courage**

_Chapter 1_

A variety of sounds could be heard echoing across the vast Hyrule Field as the orange glow of the setting sun began to cover it: the rushing of Zora's river in the distance, the call of the birds as they flew overhead, the crickets beginning their evening songs, the light and random sounds of horses and cuccos settling down for the evening at Lon Lon Ranch. But on this particular evening, the sound of rushing horse hooves erupted over the natural sounds of the field.

A pair of horses, one a magnificent brown mare and the other a royal white stallion, raced across the field, each at the behest of their respective owners. And the strong, playful laughter of both of their riders was almost as loud as the horses' hooves.

"Link!" the young woman riding on the white steed called out laughingly and breathlessly to the rider of the brown horse, who was gaining the advantage as the two raced across the field. "Slow down!"

"What's the matter princess?" the young man on the brown horse called out with equal verve. "I thought you said you'd be able to keep up!"

"Hey!" Hyrule's princess said defensively. "We've been this for hours! Sage is getting tired and I'm sure Epona is too!"

"All right, fine," the young hero said, gradually brining his speeding horse to a halt. The princess quickly followed suit. "But just so you know, Epona could keep going even longer."

"Are you implying that she's stronger than Sage?" Princess Zelda crossed her arms as she relaxed on her horse's reigns. "I'll have you know that Sage is a purebred, one of the finest horses in all of Hyrule."

"Does that really have anything to do with it?" Link asked, giving her a clever grin.

Zelda couldn't help but laugh as she reached down to pat Sage's side. "No," she agreed. "I guess not."

A warm summer breeze brew through the grass of the field, as the two of them glanced towards the castle, its ivory towers reflecting the orange of the sunset. "It's getting late," Link said, finally noticing that the sun was almost gone. "Are you ready to head back?"

Zelda's smile faded as she looked in the direction of the castle. "We don't have to just yet…" she said, not ready to abandon the feeling of freedom that she experienced whenever she would sneak out of the castle to explore Hyrule with Link. It was a feeling she treasured, and one she certainly couldn't get within the cold stone walls of her stately castle home, where she was constantly burdened with responsibilities that weighed her shoulders down. It was easy to see why she looked forward to her outings with Link, which seemed to be occurring more and more recently as of late. At least twice a week, he would help her slip out of the castle to whatever adventure fate would lead them on for the day, unnoticed by anyone but Zelda's watchful nursemaid Impa, who trusted the young hero enough to keep the princess safe from harm. After all, the two had been doing this for years, ever since they were children.

"Oh!" Zelda said, her bright smile returning. "I almost forgot! This morning before you came, I managed to sneak a few tarts out of the kitchen for us to have as a snack, but I must have forgotten about them. We could eat them now though before we… go back…"

Link's eyes brightened at the suggestion and of course, he agreed. The two of them dismounted their horses, leaving them to graze as they sat down a few feet away, on a small grassy knoll that gave them a great view of the castle and of the setting sun. And there, the two enjoyed their humble, yet deliciously sweet supper, casually conversing as they ate.

"Tell me what the ocean was like again," Zelda inquired after finishing off one of the tarts. "I know I always ask you about that the most but I've never seen one before and it fascinates me. I mean, how could water stretch out like that for miles until you can't see the other end anyway?"

"Well," Link said thoughtfully, recalling back to the brief excursion he had in the mysterious land of Termina years ago as a child. "I could hardly believe it when I first saw it. Before I saw Great Bay, the most water I had ever seen in one place was at Lake Hylia. When we first went there, I thought it was a lake and asked Tatl how wide it went on for."

"And what did she say?" Zelda asked with interest. Of course after returning from Termina, the princess had been the first person whom he had told about his adventures there upon his return to Hyrule. He had told her even the most minute details, from the people he met to the places he went, for the princess had always interested in the hero's tales of the strange country.

"She scolded me for not knowing what an ocean was," Link said, smiling as he remembered the bittersweet temper that his Terminian fairy partner had. "Just like how she scolded me for not knowing what snow was, or a swamp. I tried to tell her that I had never seen anything like them before, and that there was no swamp or ocean in Hyrule, but she wouldn't listen."

The princess laughed lightly. "It sounds like she complained at lot," Zelda said.

"She did…" Link said, but not with contempt for the fairy. "A lot more than Navi did, that's for sure. But in the end she just wanted to help her little brother, and I had to respect her for that."

Zelda smiled warmly. "You know…" she said as she inched a bit closer to Link. "I could listen to you talk about Termina for hours. It sounds like such a strange and incredible place."

"It was…" he said, watching as the sun sank ever lower over the western hills. "And the people were too. I don't think I could ever forget any of them, even if I tried."

"I wish I could meet them…" Zelda said as she looked up at the stars, which were starting to take their place in the sky.

Link joined her in looking up to the sky, and as his eyes caught sight of the emerging moon, an idea came to him. "Maybe you can…" he said, a light smile crossing his face.

"Link , what are you talking about?" Zelda said, not sure of where he was going with this.

"I remember how to get to Termina," he said, his eyes flashing with excitement. "I could take you there, if you wanted to go."

Zelda took in an excited gasp. To go to the fabled, mysterious land that she had only heard about from his stories… the very though filled her with glee. "Oh Link!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "I'd love to!" However, as the words left her mouth, her smile faded. "But… what about the kingdom? I mean, how long would we be gone for?"

Link thought for a moment before responding. "Three days," he said firmly. "Three days in Termina and then however long it takes to get there and back."

"Well…" Zelda said, a bit hesitantly. "I suppose Impa could take of things for me for only three days…"

"So is that a yes?" Link asked hopefully.

The princess smiled at her long-time friend and nodded, ready for her first true taste of adventure. "It's a yes."

* * *

_Zelda stood at the window of the courtyard, watching carefully what was going on inside. She was so caught up in the scene happening on the other side of the glass that she almost jumped out of her skin when she heard light footsteps in the grass behind her._

_She turned around slowly, having a vague idea of who had just joined her in her courtyard. And sure enough she was right._

_"Link..." the princess sighed, her tense muscles relaxing as she smiled at him._

_The boy looked confused as she said his name. "Princess, you... remember me?" he asked._

_Now it was the young princess' turn to be confused. "Of course silly!" she exclaimed, raising an eye brow at him. "Why wouldn't I? We only met a few days ago. Have you found all of the spiritual stones yet?"_

_Link's confusion suddenly faded as he realized what had happened. Of course, the young princess had no way of knowing what he knew, or rather what he had just seen and experienced. She had no idea that her plan, to open the Door of Time, would be an ill fated one with bitter consequences for all of Hyrule. But the young hero was lucky. He knew what could happen. After all, he had just returned from a future where it did happen. And, armed with that knowledge, the hero, though no longer an adult as he had once been seven years in the future, could put a stop to it all before it even began._

**_So, what do you think? Follow, favorite and review! Until next time! (Which i hope will be very soon!)_**


	3. The Gateway to Termina

_Chapter 2_

"Late again I see…" Impa said somewhat impatiently as she stood by the hidden back door of the castle to greet Link and Zelda as they arrived. "Its past sunset."

"Impa," Zelda said, a look of worry on her face. Impa had always been protective of the princess ever since she was a child, but luckily for her, the Sheikah nurse had never been too overbearing. But even Impa, in her patient ways, had her limits. But Impa trusted Link with Zelda's safety and never became worried when the two of them went out. Except for when they would come back after sunset. The Sheikah took a late return as a bad omen, a warning sign that something might have befallen them, but nonetheless, she would wait for the princess' safe return and of course, the hero had not failed to return Zelda safely to the castle yet. "I-" the princess began to explain their late return but was cut off by Link.

"_I'm _sorry Impa," he said apologetically. "We stopped for a quick snack and lost track of the time. It won't happen again."

Impa sighed and shook her head, but smiled wearily nonetheless. "You say that ever time boy," she said with understanding in her tone. "I'll be waiting inside princess," she said to Zelda as she turned to go in, leaving the two alone to say good night.

"So," Zelda said after she was sure that Impa was out of earshot. "The day after tomorrow, right?"

"Right," Link confirmed. The two of them had decided to leave for Termina in two days, to provide time for preparations for the trip and also to convince Impa to let them go. It wouldn't be an easy task, as Zelda had never left the boarders of Hyrule before, but Link had given Zelda a map to give to Impa so that she would be able to find them if the need be, detailing the exact location of the entrance to Termina, hidden deep within the lost woods. In fact, traveling through the lost woods would probably be the most dangerous part of the trip, as Termina itself was most likely free of the dangers it once held the last time Link traveled there. "And don't forget to tell her that it'll only be three days."

Zelda smiled. "I won't. I've gotten pretty good at convincing Impa of things over the years, so it shouldn't be too hard convincing her of this," she said, as she headed for the open door. "Goodnight Link."

"Goodnight Zelda," Link smiled as he turned to head home for the night. "I'll come early the morning we leave. Be ready to go," he reminded her gently.

"Oh I will be," Zelda laughed softly as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

After staying more than half the night trying to convince Impa, Zelda had somehow managed to persuade her nursemaid into letting her travel to the mysterious land of Termina. She filled Impa in on every little detail of the trip that her and Link had planned on: from their transportation, which would be exclusively Epona since she knew the lay of Termina from having been there with Link, to the location of the entrance to Termina, located in the lost woods, and everything in between. Though Impa was a bit wary of the idea, she decided that the princess was old enough to finally venture outside of Hyrule and was glad that Link would be escorting her to keep her safe.

Needless to say throughout the next preparation filled day, both Link and Zelda were excited for the trip. Zelda was ready to finally step outside of her well-defined boundaries, and travel to a place that few other Hylians would ever claim to see and Link was excited about returning to Termina and seeing old friends and acquaintances that he had made during his first trip there almost seven years ago. ,

Though the preparations for the trip were dull, eventually the awaited morning came. Link was up hours before the sun, already on his way to the castle to pick Zelda up. The princess herself also rose early, and was all packed up and anxiously waiting for him by the back door of the castle, with Impa standing by to see her off.

"Link!" Zelda called out happily the moment she could make out his approaching silhouette riding on Epona in the distance.

"Zelda…" Impa couldn't help but roll her eyes at the excited princess as she whispered. "Some are still trying to sleep…"

"Oh," Zelda laughed quietly. "Right…"

By now, Link had arrived at the back door with Epona, who had been appropriately girded with two large saddle bags for the trip.

"Ready to go?" he asked, smiling at the princess.

"Yes!" Zelda said, clasping her hands together as her blue eyes shone with delight. "Come on! Let's go!"

They wasted no time loading the food and Zelda's luggage into the saddle bags. But before they could go, the Sheikah nursemaid stopped Zelda. "Wait," Impa said almost sadly as the princess turned to face Impa one last time before leaving.

"Impa?" Zelda asked a bit worriedly noticing the sudden sadness in her guardian's eyes.

"You've never left home before, so I want you to…" she hesitated, but then finished quietly as she pulled Zelda into a warm hug. "Stay safe."

"I will," Zelda promised, a soft smile on her face.

"And as for you…" Impa said firmly, turning to Link after the hug dissolved. "Guard her with your _life._"

"I promise," Link said solemnly.

Finally ready to leave, Link helped Zelda mount Epona behind him. Luckily, he had thought ahead and borrowed a fine two-person travel saddle from Lon Lon Ranch, so that they two of them could travel in comfort.

"Goodbye Impa!" Zelda called out as they began to ride away from the castle. Impa stood back at the door, waving and smiling at the princess. "We'll see you in a few days!"

As soon as the two of them had left castle town, Link brought Epona to a stead gallop to help them cross Hyrule Field faster. Though Epona's gait was smooth as usual, Zelda still held onto Link tightly as she pulled her travel cloak up around her to shield her from the cold rushing night air. It was then that she noticed the Hylian shield and knight's sword that she had given him a few years ago strapped to his back. As she saw it, Zelda felt totally safe, even more so then she had before. She had no doubt in Link's skill with a sword and she knew that if any danger arose that he'd be able to handle it.

Zelda wanted to ask him more about Termina, but she refrained, knowing that the rushing wind would block her voice out. However, as the first rays of the sun began to rise across Hyrule Field, brining the warmth of a new summer day with it, Epona's steady gallop slowed to a calmer walk.

"What's the matter?" Zelda asked Link, wondering about Epona's sudden change of pace.

"I don't want her getting tired," Link answered, glancing back at the princess. "We're not even halfway through Hyrule Field yet and now that it's light outside, we won't have to worry about Poes or anything like that."

"Right," Zelda said, agreeing. Such monsters only showed themselves in the darkness, which made traveling through the field a more dangerous endeavor at night. "Hey Link," Zelda said, her voice finally being hard now that the wind was no longer rushing as they rode. "You still haven't told me exactly how we get to Termina…"

"From the lost woods," Link answered bluntly.

"That's not what I mean," Zelda said, laughing a bit. "I know that the _entrance _is in the lost woods, but how do we get to Termina itself from there?"

"Oh," Link said, finally understanding her question. "You'll see…" the hero said with a mysterious smile.

"But-" Zelda started to argue, be decided to drop it for now. "Fine. But in the meantime, tell me more about Clock Town."

"What haven't I told you about Clock Town yet?"

"Hm… You're right. You've pretty much told me everything…" Zelda thought for a moment. "Oh I know! Tell me the story of the couple that you reunited again. That one is always my favorite story…"

"You mean Anju and Kafei?" Link said, smiling softly as he recalled the tale. And so as the two rode in the direction of the forest at a steady pace, the hero recounted in detail the story of the two lovers, who had been separated before Link even arrived in Termina and of his successful efforts to reunite the two. Zelda listened with interest and asked all of the expected questions, like she always did when she listened to his stories of Termina.

"So then I went back to the Stock Pot Inn, and for once the door to the employee room was unlocked," Link said, getting near the end of the story. "Anju was inside, waiting for Kafei like she said she would."

"Was she afraid?" Zelda asked. "About the moon? Or about him not coming?"

"Really, she wasn't afraid of either. She told me that she believed that he would come."

"And when he finally came?"

"It was past midnight. I was pretty sure that the moon was going to fall at any second, but he came, even in spite of that. The second he entered the room, they hugged and renewed the promise that they had made to each other as children."

"Was Anju surprised about Kafei's appearance?" Zelda asked. "I mean, the fact that he looked like a child?"

"If she was, then she didn't show it," Link said. "You know, it was kind of funny. As we watched them, Tatl said that they didn't really look like an engaged couple, but more like a mother and son."

Both of them laughed warmly as the first signs of the forest showed in the distance. "So then, they gave you the Couple's Mask, right?" Zelda asked, urging him to finish the story.

"Right," Link answered, knowing that the princess had committed this story to memory. "They thanked me for helping them and said that they were going to face the morning together, even if the moon fell."

"That's so beautiful," Zelda sighed wistfully. "They must have known that it was going to, but they didn't care, did they? They were just glad to be together again."

Link smiled and nodded. "It was sad though," he said. "I knew I only had a minute or two left before it fell and I'd never make it to Clock Tower in time to call the giants. So, I had to play the Song of Time and return to the first day, undoing everything."

"That was always the hardest part, wasn't it?" Zelda asked. "Seeing everything that you had worked for go back to the way it was until you finally stopped the moon?"

"Well I can't say that Termina was the first time that something like that happened," Link said quietly, looking back towards Zelda.

"Oh…" the princess said, looking down as she remembered Link telling her of his travels through time to save Hyrule itself. "That's right. But all of your efforts didn't go to waste! We were able to stop Ganondorf before he even took over Hyrule, didn't we?" She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You saved Hyrule from going through all of that torment. And I can't thank you enough for that. You saved two worlds: Hyrule and Termina. I don't think any other hero could claim something like that."

"Yeah, I guess…" Link trailed off as he noticed that they were directly in front of the entrance to the forest. He hero frowned slightly at the sight. He hadn't traveled to the forest in years, even though Kokiri Village, located inside its lush depths had been his childhood home. After returning from Termina, he had traveled there frequently, even spending the night at his old home in the village on occasion. But as he grew older, he visited the place less and less, and eventually built himself a small home near Lake Hylia so that he could travel to the castle to see Zelda easier. So needless to say, that even going near his old home brought back some bittersweet memories.

"So…" Zelda said, bringing Link out of his train of thought. "Are we going in or not?"

Zelda had only traveled to the forest once when she was younger with Link. Of course, she didn't really get to meet any of his Kokiri friends, as the members of the never-aging race tended to hide whenever an "outsider" came to the village. But that didn't stop the princess from enjoying the natural beauty of the woods, with its lush green trees and constantly flittering fairies. This journey, however, would be her first time in the lost woods, which was located deep within the trees of the forest.

"Um, yeah," Link said, urging Epona to head on through to the forest. As he expected Kokiri Village was empty, the children of the forest already expecting an outsider's arrival. Although Link knew that he was not one of the Kokiri, but a Hylian, a fact that he had learned the hard way, he had still grown up among them, and at a time, saw himself as one of them. He wondered how his old childhood friends were doing, especially his closest friend, Saria. Though Link had been considered an outcast among the Kokiri for his lack of a guardian fairy, Saria seemed to be the only Kokiri who understood him and the two had been close friends. Of course, Link knew that he wouldn't see her as he and Zelda traveled through the abandoned village to get to the lost woods. But he wondered what it would be like if he could…

"Link!" Zelda said, breaking him out of his thoughts once more. "Isn't that where you said you lived?" She pointed to the tree house that Link had once called home, long since empty.

"Yes," Link said, glancing at the weather worn structure. He remained strangely silent through as they rode through the village, much to Zelda's bewilderment. It was true that she did most of the talking out of the two of them, Zelda was a bit surprised that he wasn't telling her some sort of story about his childhood there, prompted by her question as most of his stories started. But, the princess shrugged it off, her eyes widening as they entered the labyrinth of trees known as the lost woods.

The lost woods were intimidating, to say the least. Though at first, sunlight spilled through the high branches of the trees, the woods gradually thickened until they let very little light in at all, giving the illusion of nighttime. The lack of light also made the area colder, prompting Zelda to put her cloak back on, which she had taken off back in Hyrule Field when the sun came up. The lost woods held little life other than the abundance of trees, giving the place a desolate, erriee feeling. _Are they always like this? _Zelda wondered as her eyes wondered around the tree-filled expanse, which seemed endless in every direction. But she wasn't afraid of getting lost within them. Though legends said that those lost within the woods would turn into Stalfos, Zelda was confident that Link, who had traveled through these woods on more than one occasion before, knew the path to Termina.

Link, on the other hand, was studying each tree carefully, searching for specific landmarks as he tried to recreate the path he had taken through these exact same woods years before when he had gone through them to search for his old fairy partner, Navi. It was his search for the fairy who had accompanied him on his journey through Hyrule that had lead him to these woods, and through a series of unnerving circumstances, had lead him to Termina in the first place.

A still silence continued to linger between Link and Zelda, but it didn't really worry either of them at the moment. Link needed to focus on finding the entrance to Termina and Zelda remained quiet to let him focus on that task. And after hours of calm travel through the maze-like woods, Link found the sign that he had been looking for.

"Ah!" He exclaimed as he caught sight of the familiar tree stump in the wide clearing. "There it is!"

"What?" Zelda asked, a bit groggily as she had almost drifted off to sleep while the two rode.

"Come and look," he said, dismounting Epona and walking over to a small tree stump.

Zelda likewise dismounted the horse and walked over to it, straining her eyes to see better in the darkness. She was roughly able to make out something carved in the wood on the side, but it was too dark for her to make out what it was.

"What is this?" She asked, giving Link a questioning look.

Link wiped the dirt that was smudging the image on the tree stump, revealing a crudely drawn picture created years ago. "Skull Kid drew this as I was leaving Termina. He said that it was a picture of 'his friends', meaning me and him, Tatl and Tael and the four giants."

"Oh," Zelda smiled as she made out the rough shape of Link carved on the stump. "It's cute. Does this mean that we're close?"

"Very close," Link nodded. "It's right through there." He pointed to a much larger stump with a sizeable entryway carved into the side. The two remounted Epona and rode through it, emerging in an area that was still within the lost woods, containing a few large stumps of different heights and another entryway higher up then the last.

"How is Epona going to get up there?" Zelda asked incredulously.

"Well… I'm not sure…" the hero admitted sheepishly as he dismounted the horse.

"What?" Zelda asked, raising an eyebrow at him as she followed suit. "How did she get to Termina the last time then?"

"I really don't know…" Link said, looking up at the entryway to Termina. "Skull Kid stole her from me and somehow got her in there, but when I went through she was nowhere to be found. I didn't see her again until I found her at Romani Ranch."

"Well that's strange," Zelda frowned. "So how are we going to get in?"

"I guess we're walking," Link shrugged as he started to take all of the necessities out of Epona's saddle bags.

"Aren't you afraid that someone could come by and steal her?" Zelda asked as she walked over to help him.

"Come on Zelda," he laughed jokingly. "Who's going to come all the way out here just to steal a horse?"

Zelda laughed at this. "I guess you're right."

After gathering up only the things that were necessities and easy to carry on their backs, the two began to scale the tree stumps. Link was able to leap with ease between each stump, but Zelda was a bit more hesitant, even though they weren't too far apart from one another. Of course, leaping across a few tree stumps was not in the least the most dangerous activity that her and Link had taken part of over the past few years in their various misadventures. This paled in comparison with narrowly dodging fire balls coming down from Death Mountain, getting caught up in sandstorms in Gerudo Desert and avoiding an angry Impa.

Once the two of them were safely standing up near the second entry way, Link took a quick glance at Epona, who was happily grazing below. Of course, he was certain that Epona, being a fiercely loyal steed, would not move from that spot until they came back in three days. And with that, Link and Zelda walked through the entryway that led to Termina.

Zelda smiled as they went through and started with her abundance of questions that she had been holding in until now. "So when we get there, what will we_-ah!_" Zelda was cut short as she suddenly felt herself falling, screaming in terror as she realized that there was nothing under her feet.

"Zelda!" she could barely hear Link's voice calling after her as darkness greeted her on all sides. Yet as she fell for who knows how long, strange illusion-like shapes of different colors appeared all around her as she was dragged down into the deep darkness. Eventually, she closed her eyes, unable to take the strange shapes with the fear of falling.

"Ow!" Zelda yelped out in pain as she finally landed on her back side. The sudden impact stung slightly, but luckily she landed on something soft. Finally opening her eyes, she breathed in heavily, trying to slow her racing heart as she recovered from the fall. Looking down, she noticed the soft surface that she had landed on, a large pink flower surrounded by a shallow puddle of water.

She looked back up, trying to see the ledge that she had fallen from but could find nothing but the same darkness above her. "Link?" She called out as she rose to her feet and walked around the puddle of water. She was greeted with no response from him however, much to her annoyance. "Link!"

She sighed in relief when she finally caught sight of him, falling down the same way she had, but with no screaming. His landing was a lot less clumsy as well, as he managed to somehow land on his feet. He grinned smugly at the princess when he saw her.

"You could have warned me about that drop-off you know!" she said, rolling her eyes at him.

"I could have…" Link said, still smiling at her as he began to cross the wide room that they had fallen into. "But it was more fun to watch you find out about in on your own."

Zelda sent him a warning glare, but followed him across the room nonetheless. On the other side of the room, which was dimly lit through strange light streaming in from somewhere above, was a door, which lead to a short corridor. After going through both of these, the two emerged in yet another large chamber where the door was located on a high ledge. Luckily for them though, a ladder was clinging to the side of the ledge, granting them access to the entryway.

"That wasn't there the last time," Link noted after the two of them climbed up it.

"It wasn't?" Zelda asked as they entered the next area, which appeared to be a bottomless pit with a few ledges connected by simple wooden bridges that lead to the next entryway. The two of them stopped for a moment and looked out at the somewhat treacherous expanse, before crossing the bridges to the other side.

"The bridges weren't around either," he said, curious as to where they came from.

"Then how did you get across the last time?" Zelda wondered, taking care to go slowly over one of the bridges as they didn't look incredibly sturdy.

"Last time I came though here," Link grinned slyly as he looked back at her. "I was a Deku Scrub."

"Oh, that's right!" Zelda couldn't help but laugh as she remembered Link telling her about how he had been cursed into the form of a Deku Scrub upon his first encounter with the Skull Kid. "You used the flowers, right?"

Link nodded. "Though at the time, getting through here was the least of my worries. I had no idea where I was and I had to put up with a whining fairy. Not to mention that I wanted to return to normal as quickly as possible and get the Ocarina of Time back."

"So you were scared?" Zelda asked coyly, trying to get him to admit fear, something that he never seemed to do.

"Not really," Link shook his head as they made it across the last bridge. "I was mostly just enraged at Skull Kid for doing that to me. It's almost kind of hard to believe that we ended up on good terms by the time I left."

As they went through the next entryway, they were greeted with the sound of rushing water and turning clock cogs. The room they had entered in was a tall stone chamber, with a stream of water running through it which turned a water wheel that controlled the turning cogs. A wooden bridge and ramp led to a higher floor. The entire place had a mystical, strange, yet peaceful feeling, as though they had entered another world entirely.

"Where are we?" Zelda asked glancing around as she followed Link up the ramp. On the second floor, there was little more than a small set of steps that led to a pair of large wooden doors.

"Inside of the Clock Tower," Link smiled back at the princess as he climbed up the stairs and stood by the doors.

Zelda's eyes lit up. "Then that means we're…" she trailed off brimming over with excitement as she watched Link place his hands on the doors to open them.

"That right," he said as he pushed the doors open, flooding the dark tower with light from the outside. "Zelda, welcome to Termina."

* * *

_"What do you mean he'll take over Hyrule?!" Zelda asked, a horrified expression on her face. "I thought that opening the Door of Time would stop him from doing that! I mean, wouldn't we be able to get to the Triforce first if we were the ones who opened it?"_

_"No," Link shook his head, trying to explain everything to Zelda as the two of them sat on the steps of the castle courtyard. "When I opened the Door of Time and pulled the Master Sword, it let Ganondorf get to the Triforce instead and he used it to take over Hyrule."_

_"And what about you?" Zelda asked wonderingly. "What happened to you?"_

_"That's how I was sealed away for seven years. The light sage told me that I was too young to use the Master Sword so it locked me in the Sacred Realm for seven years."_

_"And Ganondorf used that time to take over, right?"_

_Link nodded solemnly. "But the light sage told me that I was the "hero of time" who was supposed to defeat Ganondorf. At first I was really confused by what he meant, but then he told me that I had to awaken the seven sages before I could even fight him."_

_"Oh!" Zelda exclaimed remembering something. "That's right! I've heard of ancient Hylian prophecies about the hero of time! So is turned out to be you?"_

_"Yes," Link said. "So I woke the seven sages and then I fought Ganondorf and beat him."_

_"Wow..." Zelda said, a bit admiringly. "But how did you get back to this time?"_

_"You sent me back," Link said, glancing at the princess._

_"Really?" Zelda smiled. "How?"_

_"With the Ocarina of Time."_

_"That makes sense..." Zelda said thoughtfully. "Oh! Link! We have to tell my father about this! We can stop Ganondorf before he even gets his hands on the Triforce!"_

_The young hero, who had conquered time itself, smiled at the princess. "That's exactly what I was thinking..."_

* * *

_**Ok, so SORRY that this chapter was incredibly long! In fact, i think that this was the longest chapter that i have ever written for anything! I promise that future chapters will be shorter. Let me explain a few things before i go though. These next few chapters are going to be mostly fluff, detailing Link and Zelda's trip to Termina but the actual plot will begin soon enough. Also, the little italicized sections that appear at the end of each chapter are going to be small glimpses at Link and Zelda as children, mostly for the purpose of fluff but also bearing some importance on the plot in a few ways. That's pretty much it though. Until next time!**_


	4. Familiar Faces

_Chapter 3_

The sight of Clock Town took Zelda's breath away the moment she laid eyes on it. The place was a lively, bustling metropolis, bright and colorful and full of life. It had a different feel then Hyrule Castle Town though. Instead of being loud and busy as the town that surrounded the princess' castle home was, Clock Town was festive and glowing warm in the early afternoon sun, almost having a holiday feel to it.

"Oh Link…" she sighed as she stepped through the doors of the tower and into the streets of the town, with Link following shortly after her. "It's even more amazing than you said it was…"

Link looked around at the town and smiled, remembering traversing it as a child. "It's hardly changed at all…" he said thoughtfully.

"I can't believe that I'm actually here!" Zelda exclaimed happily. "For so long, this world has only existed in the stories that you told me. I never dreamed that I'd actually be able to step inside of it! Thank you so much Link!" No longer being able to contain her excitement, she joyously embraced Link as a showing of her gratitude.

Link's cheeks reddened a bit as he smiled. "Well…" he said bashfully. "I'm glad I could bring you. I always wanted to come back here…"

"Oh I want to see everything!" Zelda said, looking around the town after the hug dissolved. "Where should we go first?"

Link thought for a moment before responded. Indeed, there was much to see and do, not only in Clock Town, but in Termina as a whole. And he wasn't sure if three days would be enough to even come close to seeing everything. "Well, we could always-"

"EXCUSE ME!" A loud, high pitched voice called out as a small, bright flash of yellow flashed by the two of them. No more than a second after it passed by them however, it stopped itself and whizzed back around and stopped in front of Link.

"Wait a minute…" the bright yellow fairy said, carefully examining him. "Green hat… green clothes… could it be? Are you… Link?"

Link smiled at the fairy that he had traveled through Termina with. "Hi Tatl," he said warmly. "It's been a while."

"Link!" Tatl exclaimed with excitement. "Wow! You're all grown up now! Last time you were here, you were just a little kid! What took you so long? You said that you'd come back to visit, but it's been years! Skull Kid, Tael and I even put up that ladder and those bridges so you could get here easier!"

"So that's where they came from…" Link mused, glancing at Zelda. "Oh right! Tatl, this is Zelda. Zelda, this is Tatl."

"Pleased to meet you, Tatl," Zelda smiled politely. "Link's told me a lot about you."

"Zelda?" Tatl said, flying close to the princess' face. "You mean THE Princess Zelda? Hahaha…" Tatl laughed slyly. "Link told me a lot about you too. In fact, he hardly ever shut up about you!" Tatl laughed some more as Zelda smirked at Link.

"Is that true?" she asked, giving a small laugh as Link's cheeks reddened.

"Um…" the hero stammered. "Hey Tatl! Where are Skull Kid and Tael anyway?" he said, changing the awkward subject.

"They're hiding!" Tatl said. "We're playing hide-and-seek and I'm it. Let me go find them, and then I'll catch up with you guys, OK?"

"Sounds good," Link nodded as the fairy flew off towards east Clock Town. "How about we head to the Stock Pot Inn to see if they have any rooms?"

Zelda smiled. "Alright," she said as she followed him through town, taking in all of the sights and sounds. "Hey Link, can I ask you something?" Zelda said after a few minutes.

"What is it?"

"Um, could we not tell people that I'm a princess?" Zelda asked a bit shyly. "For a few days, I just want to go around feeling like a regular person, not a member of royalty. And besides, you said that most people here have never heard of Hyrule, so it'll just make things easier, don't you think?"

"Whatever you say Zelda," Link smiled at the princess. Of course, he hardly ever referred to her as a princess, since had been on casual terms ever since they were little, so it wouldn't be hard for him to honor this request.

"Link, is that you?!" A voice called out to the hero as the two of them approached the inn. When Link turned to find the source of the voice, he was greeted by a vaguely familiar face, but he couldn't put a name to it.

"Yes…" Link said, examining the mysterious man. "I'm sorry, but… who are you?"

"Don't you remember?" The purple haired-man smiled. "It's me! Kafei!"

"Kafei?!" Link exclaimed. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't recognize you…"

Kafei laughed warmly. "Well that's expected. I barely recognized you either! The last time we saw each other we were both kids, weren't we? Or at least, you were…" The two men laughed for a moment, reminiscing. "Oh and who might this be?" Kafei asked, noticing Zelda. "Your sister?"

Zelda blushed as she laughed. "No," she said. "I'm just a friend of his. I'm Zelda."

"Honored to meet you," Kafei said warmly. "Are you two heading for the inn?"

"Yes," Link nodded. "We're going to be in town for a few days. Do you know if there any rooms open?"

"Well, I'm not sure…" Kafei said. "The Carnival of Time is in two days, and Anju says that the place is pretty busy, but I'm sure that we can make room for the person who reunited the two of us! We still can't thank you enough for that by the way. Why don't I take you two to the inn and see if Anju has any rooms open?"

Both Zelda and Link agreed to this plan and let Kafei take them to the inn. As they walked, Kafei, who had followed in his father's footsteps and was now the mayor of Clock Town, told Link of the latest happenings in Termina, which had been in a peaceful state ever since he left and of the many changes that had taken place since he left almost seven years ago.

"Anju, darling!" Kafei called out warmly as the trio entered the Stock Pot Inn. "I've got two special guests for you!"

"Kafei…" a Kafei's wife answered a bit tiredly from the room behind the inn's counter. A woman with short red hair holding a sleeping baby boy stepped into view. "The carnival is in two days. We only have so many rooms. It's always busy this time of… oh!" Anju gasped in surprise when she caught sight of Link. "I see…" she smiled in recognition.

"Any chance we could fit them in dear?" Kafei asked sweetly.

Anju laughed brightly as she positioned the sleeping baby in her husband's arms. "Of course," Anju smiled at Link. "It's the least we can do to finally show our gratitude to you." The innkeeper leafed through the reservation book sitting on the counter, searching carefully for an opening. "Ah," Anju smiled, placing her finger on a page. "Luckily, we have one room left: the knife chamber."

"We'll take it," Zelda said, taking out her wallet to pay for the room.

"Zelda…" Link sighed, shaking his head at her. "I can pay for it."

"No, you don't have to," Zelda smiled warmly at him. "You got us here, so the least I can do is pay our way. And besides, I've brought more than enough money. Impa made sure of that."

Not wanting to entice an argument with the headstrong princess, the hero agreed to let her pay. After receiving the room key, the two went up to place their belongings on their room on the second floor. Zelda smiled softly when she entered it. She had never stayed in such a humble room before, but the place was cozy, with a small fire place and table and a single, medium-sized bed.

"I thought there used to be two beds in here…" Link mused as they set their things down. "Well, that's fine. You can have the bed. I'll sleep on the floor."

Zelda eyed him suspiciously. "Stop doing that," she said, crossing her arms.

"Doing what?"

"Being so chivalrous," Zelda said, frowning at him, but he could tell the slight joking manner in her tone. "You never act like that when we're alone. Only when other people are around. Why?"

Link shrugged casually and grinned. "I don't know," he said coyly. "Why, you don't like it?"

Zelda shook her head as the two of them left the room. "Not really," she sighed. "But, I guess it doesn't matter. So, where are we going now?"

"Well we have three days," Link said, nodding to Anju and Kafei as they left the inn's lobby to head outside. "What do you want to see first?"

"Hm…" Zelda thought for a moment. "The ocean." Zelda smiled. The ocean had always fascinated her most out of all the places that Link had told her about and now, she was finally able to see it with her own eyes.

"OK," Link nodded, but suddenly remembered something. "Oh wait! There's a fence that blocks the way to the beach. The only way I could get past it last time was with Epona."

"Oh…" Zelda frowned. Before she could say anything else though, the bright speck of yellow that was Tatl flashed towards the two of them again.

"Hi guys!" the fairy called out happily. "Oh hurry up you two! He's right here! I told you guys that he came back! See?" She called out to the darker fairy and strange imp-looking child who were trailing behind her.

"Oh hi you two!" Link smiled as he greeted them. "Zelda this is-"

"Let me guess," Zelda laughed as she looked at the other fairy and the child. "Tael and Skull Kid, right?"

"Yep!" the darker fairy, Tatl's brother Tael said cheerfully. Skull Kid stepped forward though and sniffed the princess suspiciously.

"Skull Kid," Link couldn't help but laugh at the surprise on Zelda's face. "She's fine! This is my friend, Zelda."

"Yeah!" Tatl chimed in. "She's a princess!"

Zelda shot Link a quick glance. "Tatl," Link shushed the excited fairy. "Not so loud…"

After catching up for a few minutes, Tael and Skull Kid prepared to leave and continue their game of hide-and-seek, but Tatl decided to linger a bit longer after the two left.

"Hey Link," she asked her former traveling companion. "You guys wouldn't mind if I hung out with you for a while, you know, for old time's sake?"

Link looked to Zelda for confirmation and the princess simply smiled warmly, silently agreeing to let the fairy tag along. "Sure Tatl," Link nodded and Tatl bounced up and down in excitement.

"Thanks!" Tatl exclaimed. "So, where are you guys heading off to?"

"Well, we were going to go to Great Bay," Link frowned. "But, we couldn't bring Epona with us, so we can't get over the fence."

"Hm…" Tatl thought about the problem for a moment before coming up with a solution. "Oh! I know! Why don't you go to the ranch? I'm sure Romani and Cremia have a horse that you could borrow while you're here!"

"That's right!" Link exclaimed smiling at the princess. "Tatl, you think of everything!"

"I know…" Tatl gushed proudly. "I always had to guide him like this when he was here the last time," she whispered to Zelda as the trio began to head out of town, to the exit that would lead them to Romani Ranch. "He was always so clueless… Is he still like that?"

Zelda couldn't help but giggle at Link's expense. "Yeah," she whispered back so that the hero wouldn't overhear them. "A little."

* * *

_The two children had carefully planned out how they were going to appeal to the King of Hyrule in order to stop Ganondorf. Zelda had confided with Impa about everything that Link had told her and the Sheikah nursemaid believed strongly in it all, which would help their case. And so, the very next day, as they had planned, the three of them burst into the throne room, where, luckily for them, the king was holding a meeting with the Gerudo king himself._

_"Zelda?" the king stood amdist the confusion that broke out from the sudden intrusion. "Impa, what is the meaning of this? We are in the middle of a meeting."  
_

_"Your majesty," Impa bowed respectfully. "The princess and her young friend here have something of great importance to tell you. Please listen to them, your highness, the fate of the entire kingdom could be at stake if you don't."_

_The king looked to his young daughter expectantly. "Go on," he nodded._

_"Father," Zelda began. "This is Link," she motioned to the boy standing beside her. "He's from the forest. Do you remember me telling you about my dream where the dark clouds covered Hyrule until they were lifted by a figure in green? Well father, I know that the person in my dream was Link here! And so, I asked for his help in finding the three spiritual stones."_

_"Why?" the king asked, not fully believing his daughter. _

_"Because," the princess glared at Ganondorf, who was standing nearby. "Ganondorf, who you put your trust in, plans to take the Triforce and use it to conquer Hyrule!"_

_"Ridiculous!" The Gerudo king scoffed at the accusation. "Your highness, you can't honestly believe such childish nonsense!"_

_"Father please!" Zelda tugged on her father's sleeve desperately. "You must believe us! Because..." she glanced at Link hesitantly. "Because Link saw it all! First hand! Tell him, Link!"_

_All eyes were on the young hero, who, with as much detail as he could, told of what could happen if Ganondorf was not apprehended immediately. He told of all of what had happened in the future that he visited, where Ganondorf had successfully taken over, where he was the only one left to stand up to the evil king. And the entire time, Zelda stood by, nervously biting her lip, and praying to the goddesses that her father would believe them._

* * *

**So, this chapter was originally going to be A LOT longer, but i decided to split it in half so it wouldn't be like a mini-novel :) Anway, I just love putting in all of these little cameos from Majora's Mask, perhaps the most unique Zelda game out there! Again, sorry for all the fluff! Until next time!**


	5. The Sea

_Chapter 4_

After crossing Termina Field, which very much reminded Zelda of Hyrule Field, the group arrived at the large and prosperous Romani Ranch, owned by the sisters Romani and Cremia. On Link's last excursion to Termina, he had helped the sisters on a number of occasions, from helping the younger sister, Romani, defend the ranch from invading aliens, to helping Cremia deliver milk to Clock Town. So of course, the hero was eager to return to the ranch and catch up with the kindly sisters.

As Link, Zelda and Tatl entered the ranch, a young woman with long red hair was gently stroking a cow. "Who's that?" Zelda asked, wondering if it was Romani or Cremia, and remembering the stories that Link had told her about the ranch.

"Cremia, I think…" Link said. "Hey Cremia!" he called out as they approached her.

The girl turned her head for a brief second. "If you're looking for Cremia, then she's in the barn," she said, but gasped when she caught sight of Link. "G-grasshopper?! Is that you?"

"Romani!" Link smiled at the girl, who, now an adult, looked much like he remembered her older sister to look. "How have you been?"

"Well," Romani spoke quickly and excitedly as she led the three of them towards the barn where Cremia was. "Things have been going pretty good around here, I guess. But… 'they' still come every year…" she sighed a bit sadly. "But enough about me! Who's your friend there Grasshopper?"

"I'm Zelda," the princess smiled. "Pleased to meet you. Link has told me a lot about you and your sister."

"Link?" Romani raised a curious eyebrow, but then laughed. "Oh! Right! Sorry, I had forgotten your real name Grasshopper! I mean, it's been so long!"

"Romani?" A voice called from inside the barn. An older woman who looked quite similar to Romani, only with slightly more worn facial feature stepped out of the barn, wiping her hands on her apron. "Do we have guests? Oh! Its you!" Cremia smiled warmly at Link. "It's… Link, right? It's been years since we last saw you here! What can we do for you?"

"Do you have a horse that we could borrow for the next three days?" Link asked. He then, introduced Zelda to Cremia and explained the situation as to why Epona could not travel with them.

"Oh! I know!" Romani exclaimed excitedly after he was done. "You could use Epona!"

Link and Zelda glanced at each other for a moment and then stared at the farm girl curiously. "Romani…" Cremia rolled her eyes in exasperation. "What she means is that a few years ago, our prized mare had a colt and Romani named it Epona, after your horse. But she's a fine horse, so you're welcome to use her for however long you need."

Romani and Cremia led the way into the barn, where a fine young paint horse awaited, already saddled up and just waiting to be ridden. After mounting the animal, Link brought up the matter of payment, but Romani vigorously shook her head.

"No," she said, shooting him a wry grin. "No money. I know a perfect way for you to pay it off though Grasshopper… Do you know what happens tonight?"

The hero shook his head and Romani's blue eyes flashed with seriousness. "'They' come tonight," she said ominously. "Every year since you left, I've been able to fend them off on my own, but I figured that you're here, you could come by later tonight before they come and help, please? You're still good with a bow, right?"

Link smiled at his old friend. "Of course I'll help Romani," he said. "We'll come by later on tonight, ok?"

Romani grinned broadly. "Oh thank you Grasshopper!" she called out as Link and Zelda rode the horse through the ranch gates, heading in the direction of the Great Bay. "See you tonight!"

* * *

"Close your eyes," Link said to Zelda as they neared the fence that blocked the entry to the Great Bay.

"Why?" Zelda asked curiously.

"Just close your eyes," he laughed lightly and Zelda did so. She held onto Link tightly as the horse leapt over the fence gracefully and continued to do so the horse's hooves started hitting sand instead of solid ground. The warm air began to carry a fresh, new scent, but Zelda did as Link said and kept her eyes shut.

The horse suddenly came to a halt and Zelda could hear the sound of rushing waters as the breeze blew through her long hair. "Alright," she heard Link's voice. "You can open them."

Taking in a deep breath, the princess opened her eyes and saw the ocean for the first time. It was unlike anything she had ever seen: blue waves that stretched out to the horizon lapped up onto a shore of pure white sand. In the distance, tall, sharp rocks jutted out of the water and also in the mist of the water was a small building, held up on wooden stilts.

"Wow," Zelda whispered in awe as she slipped off of the horses back. "It's beautiful…" She discarded her shoes as she walked towards the shallow waves. The sand was soft and warm beneath her feet, and immediately more pleasant than the rough, course sand that covered Gerudo Desert. She laughed lightly as she let the cool, salty waters lick at her toes.

Link smiled as he dismounted the horse and watched her. And, as he saw her graceful shape moving in the shallow waters, glowing pure with the light of the setting sun, his heart leaped with emotion. Of course, he and Zelda had been close friends for years, but suddenly, as he saw her smiling at him, her warm and beautiful features radiant, he felt a strange desire for their relationship to be something more. _No,_ the hero shook his head, catching himself in his racing thoughts. _We're just friends… We've always been… And besides, she's the PRINCESS… It just wouldn't work..._

"Link?" Zelda's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "What's wrong? Why do you look so flustered?"

Link hadn't even noticed that his cheeks had reddened as he watched her. "Uh…" he stammered. _Relax… _he told himself. _Calm down... _"It's… nothing…"

Zelda smiled at him and walked towards him, ignoring the fact that the hem of her dress was soaking wet from the water. "Thank you…" she said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Even in all of your stories, I could have never imagined that this place would have been so incredible…" His heart almost stopped when she pulled him into a warm embrace. He remained completely still, feeling his racing heart beat against hers. But he cherished the feeling of her smooth warmth, of the gentle light that seemed to pour from her. He didn't want her to let go. "Thank you…" she whispered, her happy, tender voice barely audible. "For everything..."

* * *

_"Quite an interesting story, young man..." the king said thoughtfully after Link was finished his long explanation. "But do you have proof that any of this actually happened?"_

_Link shot a quick, worried glance at Zelda, but then he remembered something. "I do," the boy nodded. "This," he pointed to the faintly glowing mark that somehow still lingered on the back of his hand._

_A gasp escaped from both the king and Ganondorf. "The Triforce!?" the king exclaimed in utter disbelief._

_Zelda stared wide-eyed at Link until he reached down and grabbed her hand. "See?" he said, pointing to the matching mark of the Triforce on her own hand, the only difference being that the lower left piece of the triangle glowed, whereas with Link, the lower right piece glowed. Up until this point though, the princess had never noticed the mark and was surprised that Link knew about it before her. "Its just like I said. I have the Triforce of Courage, Zelda has the Triforce of Wisdom and Ganondorf has the Triforce of Power!"_

_Ganondorf, who was well aware of all of this, glared daggers at both of the children as he hid his hands behind his back. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he lied._

_"Well then Ganondorf," the king glanced suspiciously at the Gerudo King. "You wouldn't mind showing us your hand, would you?"_

_A thick tension mounted the room. Ganondorf of course had no intentions of giving himself up so easily, and so, knowing that he was already guilty, he attempted to make a quick getaway. However, his attempt at using his Gerudo sorcery was blocked off by some strange force, a force which both Link and Zelda recognized as the spirits of the seven sages at work, keeping the evil king from getting away. And so, finding that he couldn't use his powers, Ganondorf used his brute force to push his way past the guards that were already blocking the door, ready to apprehend him._

_Having clearly shown that he was guilty, the king called out to the rest of the guards lining the room. "Do not let him get away! Arrest that traitor!"_

_Luckily, the crafty Impa had thought ahead and while all of this had been going on, she had slipped out of the room and rallied up the rest of the castle's guards, who she had lined up waiting just outside the throne room doors for when the guilty evil king burst through them. It took some doing, since Ganondorf had considerate physical strength, but the guard force eventually managed to apprehend him._

"_Send him away!" The king proclaimed, furious that Ganondorf would betray him. "Lock him away in the desert prison, so that he cannot escape and threaten Hyrule!"_

_Ganondorf struggled against the firm grip of the many guards that were holding him. But when his eyes fell upon Link and Zelda, he glared at the two of them hatefully. "You!" He bellowed viscously. "One day, when I break free, I will destroy you! Both of you!" He continued to yell threats at the children, which only enraged the king even more, considering his daughter was being threatened by the very man whom he had once placed his trust in. _

_Nonetheless, as the guards dragged Ganondorf out of sight, Link and Zelda smiled at each other in relief, knowing that their plan had worked. Hyrule was truly safe now. Ganondorf would not be able to put his dark designs into motion and it was all thanks to two young children._

* * *

**Good news! Though the plot won't actually kick in for a few more chapters, there will be some foreshadowing and a little action in the next chapter so yay! But, until then!**


	6. Ominous Vision

_Chapter 5_

Zelda was running. She wasn't sure where she was running to, or even why, but she knew that she was running from something.

She dared not turn her head back to see whoever, or whatever was chasing after her. Her eyes were trained ahead of her as she ran through the pitch black, labyrinthine lost woods, her bare feet pounding on the cold ground as rain poured down on her head. She was alone, in the dead of night, with no other living soul anyway near her except for her pursuer. Her voice was caught inside of her throat, so even if she could stop panting for even a second, she wouldn't be able to call out for help.

The longer she ran, the more she felt fatigue and dread overtake her, but she couldn't stop. She knew that resting, only if it was even for a second, could be fatal.

Suddenly, something wrapped around Zelda's ankle, causing her to collapse to the ground hard. Her voice suddenly back with her, she gasped out in pain and fear as she fell, finding that a vine had caught onto her ankle and pulled her down. She desperately struggled to free herself from its grasp, knowing that whatever was following her would be upon her in a matter of seconds. And sure enough, though she couldn't see it in the blackness of the forest, she knew when it had arrived by the shiver that ran down her spine when she heard its voice.

"Princess Zelda of Hyrule…" the quiet hidden voice hissed maliciously. "Bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom… At long last, I have found the holder of the essence of Nayru…"

"W-who… are you…?" Zelda asked timidly, her voice little more than a fearful whisper. Her heart was beating rapidly as she looked all over the dimly lit area for the source of the voice.

The voice laughed darkly, its volume starting to rise. "You shall find out soon enough, princess…" it said, and Zelda could feel its presence starting to inch closer towards her, much to her terror. "For in a very short time, I will have all three of you within my grasp…"

"All three?" Zelda wondered aloud. The sadistic voice simply laughed at her confusion and violently swept over her. Zelda screamed as a dark and powerful pain struck her. In the midst of it though, she glanced down at the back of her hand, where the mark of the Triforce of Wisdom was flashing brightly and erratically until finally, it went dim altogether, causing the world around Zelda to dim as well.

* * *

Zelda woke with a start, gasping as she sat up in bed. Her eyes wide, she looked around at her surroundings, finding that she was in the same place that she had fallen asleep at, the room that her and Link were sharing at the Stock Pot Inn. _That was… a dream? _Zelda thought, still shaking from the experience. _But, it felt so real… _

"Link?" Zelda whispered, her eyes straining to see through the nighttime darkness of the room. She looked to the makeshift-bed that the hero had made for himself on the floor on the opposite side of the room only to find it empty. _Oh that's right… _Zelda thought, calming down. _He's probably at the ranch…_

Earlier, after the two returned from Great Bay, Link had shown Zelda around Clock Town through the early evening hours. Of course, the princess immediately fell in love with the lively town, and all the charm that it had to offer. The place was especially festive though, in accordance with the upcoming Carnival of Time, which was to take place in two days time.

It had been quite late when Link, Zelda and Tatl arrived back at the inn. In fact, it was almost time for Link to head back to Romani Ranch to help Romani like he had promised. He invited Zelda to come along, but the princess declined, as she was tired from traveling and the rest of the day's events and was ready to get some rest. And so, Zelda stayed behind and went to bed as Link and Tatl traveled to the ranch.

Remembering this, Zelda lay back down, though she was a bit wary of returning to sleep. Her mind wondered back to the strange and disheartening dream that she had just experienced. She had only ever had a number of dreams that were equally as vivid. And, though the prospect frightened her, she knew from its immediacy, that it must have been some kind of prophetic dream. It wouldn't be impossible. After all she had received prophetic visions in her sleep before. But unlike her other visions, Zelda was unable to deviate a clear meaning from her most recent dream. From what she could glean though, something was after her, but why?

She closed her eyes and thought back to the dream, trying to remember what the mysterious voice had said. _"Princess Zelda… Bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom…" _How had it even known that she possessed the Triforce of Wisdom? That was something that few, aside from herself, Link, Impa and her father, knew. _"At long last I have found the holder of the essence of Nayru…"_ Zelda deduced that if the voice had "found" the holder of the essence of Nayru, then that must have been searching for her specifically based on that fact. _"For soon enough, I will have all three of you within my grasp…" _Zelda gasped and opened her eyes wide when she suddenly realized what the voice had meant by this: whatever or whoever it was, it was after the Triforce. Which meant that not only would this hidden evil be after her, but it would be after Link as well. The very thought of that made Zelda's heart race and she knew that she had to warn him the moment he returned. Even if her premonition was wrong, maybe he'd be able to help ease away some of the dread that the ominous dream had given her.

* * *

"Hey Grasshopper," Romani said to Link as the two stood near the barn at Romani Ranch, watching the night skies for any sign of the strange creatures that invaded the ranch each year around the Carnival of Time, known only as "Them". "That girl who was with you earlier, is she your girlfriend?"

"What?!" Link asked in surprise, his cheeks already starting to glow red. "Uh… no! We're just… friends," he said defensively, but he found his mind going back to the image of Zelda walking on the beach from earlier that day, which only flustered him more.

Romani laughed teasingly. "Whatever you say Grasshopper," she said, winking. Suddenly a bright flash of yellow lit up the area as bright as day. Romani gasped as she reached for her bow. "They're here!" she called to Link, who prepared his own bow. "Right on time! Just like last time, now! Don't let them get near the barn!"

"Right!" Link called out as he aimed for one of the strange ghost-like creatures that had already emerged out onto the field, with more following after it. Luckily, they were easy to kill, though the creatures came in a multitude, but they moved rather slowly and were vulnerable to arrows. But unlike the last time Link helped Romani fend them off, this time, the creatures had prepared for the resistance and many of them had likewise equipped bows and arrows, only theirs were made of a strange metal material instead of wood. The creatures did not shoot with perfect accuracy though, so their projectiles were fairly easy to dodge.

However, aside from gaining new weapons, they had also become craftier since the last time. Instead of starting on the far side of the ranch and working their way towards the barn as they had done before, many of the ghosts began their approach from behind the farmhouse, making them harder to notice and giving them a position that was closer to the barn.

As Link and Romani were fending off the creatures, Tatl circled overhead to keep on the lookout for the ones who took up such sneaky tactics. However, the fairy had failed to notice one certain ghost, which had slipped around in the shadows of the farmhouse. It glided around the side of the barn, and took aim with its bow at Link and Romani, who with their back turned to the thing, were completely unaware of its presence.

"Link!" Tatl shouted when she finally spotted the ghost, which had drifted in quite close to the two archers. "Behind you!"

Not questioning the fairy's guidance, the hero spun around and let an arrow fly in the direction of the creature, but he was too late to stop the creature's own attack. Right as the arrow struck the creature, causing it to vanish away, the projectile that it had shot at Link found its mark. It struck him hard it his upper left leg, and buried itself deep.

"Link!" Tatl cried as the hero gasped out in pain.

"Grasshopper!" Romani gasped, glancing over at Link as she let another arrow fly towards a ghost. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah!" Link called out as he tried to pull the arrow out of his leg, but found it too painful. So instead, he placed his hand over the wound, trying to block the already steady flow of blood.

"Link!" Tatl flew down to his level. "You're hurt!"

"No," he shook his head, trying to hide the intense stinging pain. "I… I'm fine…"

"You're losing too much blood!" Tatl said worriedly. "That's it! I'm going back to Clock Town to get Zelda! Maybe she can help!

"What?!" Link exclaimed. The last thing he wanted was the princess to come and get hurt in the same way he had. "No! Tatl, wait!"

But clearly, he couldn't stop the headstrong fairy. Already, she was zipping away, in the direction of town. Of course, he wanted to head after her and stop her before she could get to Zelda, but he couldn't leave Romani to fend the intruders all by herself. So Link stayed put, and returned to fighting the creatures, but his mobility was limited thanks to his injured leg. Each small move he made would send a sharp pain across his leg, which, with the arrow still lodged in it, was bleeding out fast. But the hero ignored it stubbornly and tried to ignore the pain, even though he was starting to grow weak and lightheaded from blood loss.

"Grasshopper," Romani glanced at him worriedly once more as she noticed that his shots were becoming less precise. "Should I wake up Cremia? You're leg looks pretty bad…"

"N-no…" Link said weakly, his leg starting to go numb. "I…" Suddenly, his leg gave way entirely and he fell to his hands and knees. Romani gasped out in worried surprise.

"That's it!" she firmly proclaimed setting her bow down. "You're in no condition to fight! You get in the barn and I'll take care of these pests! After all, I don't think they'll be around for much longer. It's almost morning."

"B-but Romani-" he started to protest.

"No. Come on. Don't argue," Romani frowned at him as she helped him up and let him use her shoulder to support himself as she helped him limp his way to the barn, when she helped him sit up against a bale of hay. "Now," Romani said, turning to head back outside to fight once more. "Don't move."

Link didn't have the energy to argue with her, so he simply sat there as she left, languishing in pain.

* * *

Zelda stood at the window of the room, looking out at the sleeping Clock Town. Though the setting was quiet and peaceful, the princess was unable to be at ease along with it. Still unnerved by her dream, she decided to give up on getting to sleep some time ago, afraid that the ominous vision would revisit her.

A small but sudden _tap! _sounded on the door of the room, making Zelda jump. The noise repeated itself frantically and so, Zelda cautiously walked to the door and opened it, hoping that Link had finally returned from his errand. But instead, Tatl sped into the room, and stopped inches away from the princess' surprised face.

"Tatl?" Zelda asked, glancing out into the empty hallway of the inn. "Where's Link?"

Tatl, exhausted from her long and fast flight to the inn, took in a deep breath. "He's hurt!" the fairy exclaimed. "He got hit in the leg with an arrow! I came back here to get you so you can help him since Romani's busy fighting off the ghosts."

Zelda's eyes widened when she heard that Link was injured. Without another word or thought, she simply nodded and put on her shoes and cloak and followed the fairy out of the inn and through the exit of Clock Town, into the vast Termina Field, just as a steady rain was beginning to fall. She walked at a fast pace, following the light that Tatl gave off amidst the darkness of night, as her heart began to pound faster with each step. Of course, this wasn't that Link had gotten hurt; after all, the hero was reckless, a fact Zelda knew well. And likewise, she would get worried whenever he did. But Zelda's foreboding dream gave her all the more reason to worry.

Dawn was just starting to emerge at Romani Ranch, which caused the invading ghosts to dissipate and return from whence they came. The exhausted Romani set her bow down as she watched them vanish in the same ball of light that they had come in, satisfied that the ranch was safe for yet another year.

As they were leaving, Zelda arrived at the ranch. Tatl flew on ahead to tell Romani of their return as Zelda picked up her pace even more.

"Where is he?" Zelda asked Romani, a sense of urgency in her tone.

"In the barn," Romani led the way to the barn and the moment Zelda caught sight of Link, she gasped in absolute shock. In the short time since Romani had helped him in there, the hero had lost a dangerous amount of blood, causing him to fall unconscious. Zelda kneeled down beside him and looked at his pale face first and then moved down to his injured leg, marked crimson with blood, the arrow still sticking out of it. Zelda's eyebrows creased tight as she clutched the arrow and, as gently as she could, tried to pull it out.

Her efforts were in vain though, because at the lightest tug, Link gasped out in intense pain. Zelda lifted her hand away from the arrow and watched sadly as he slowly opened his eyes to look at her.

"Z-Zelda…" he whispered quietly, his voice weak.

Zelda almost broke into tears, but managed to restrain herself. "Shh…" she said, gently taking his hand. "Let me get that out," she said, referring to the arrow. "Otherwise, you could get blood poisoning from it." _In whatever little blood you have left… _she thought, but didn't say that aloud. The sight of his blood soaked wound without a doubt unnerved her, but she commanded herself to kept a level head, knowing that getting frazzled would not do Link any good.

"Do you have a needle and thread?" Zelda said to Romani, who stood in the doorway of the barn, anxiously watching the scene.

"We have a sewing kit in the house," Romani said.

"Get it," Zelda commanded firmly. Romani nodded and rushed off towards the farm house. A few minutes later, she returned with a small box containing the sewing equipment and also a bottle of white liquid that looked like milk.

"Give him some of this," Romani whispered so Link couldn't hear as she handed Zelda the bottle. "Its Chateau Romani, a popular vintage milk that we make here. But unlike regular Chateau Romani, this bottle has been aged a lot longer than normal, ten years in fact. They say that fermented Chateau Romani acts as a powerful sleep serum and pain reliever. Just what he needs," Romani smiled and gave Zelda a sly wink as she exited the barn and headed for the house to get some much needed rest.

Zelda smiled gratefully and thanked her for the milk and then turned her attention back to the injured hero. "Link," she said firmly, opening the bottle. The aged Chateau Romani gave off a strong, sweet scent. "I need you to drink this." She held the bottle out to him, but he wouldn't lift his hands to take it.

"Why…?" he asked suspiciously.

Zelda glared at him sharply, too tired and in no mood to put up with this. "Because," she said bluntly. "That's why. Now stop being such a baby and drink it."

Link didn't argue when he noticed the rare seriousness in her tone. He drank the entire bottle of Chateau Romani and less than five minutes later, he was out cold, the milk having effectively worked. Zelda sighed in relief and went to work, remembering all of the healing techniques that Impa had taught her, and put them to use well. Now that she would receive no opposition from Link, she carefully took the arrow out and began cleaning the wound using some clean white cloth and water that Romani had brought along with the sewing kit. Then, once the bulk of the blood was gone, Zelda began to stitch the gash that the arrow had left up using a needle and some thread from the sewing kit. It was actually her first time performing the operation on a living being, but despite her lack of experience, she kept a steady hand and a strong focus as she worked over the next few hours. She was so engrossed in her task that she almost didn't notice that Link had been awake for the past several minutes, and had been intently watching her as she worked. She only stopped for a split second when their eyes met, but then returned her full attention back to his leg, still not in the mood to converse.

"How do you know how to do that?" he asked several moments later, though his words were a bit slurred: a result of the mind dulling qualities of the Chateau Romani.

"Impa taught me," Zelda muttered, her fingers still precise with their stitching. "It doesn't hurt, does it?"

"No," he said as a light smile came across his face. "Zelda…" Link clumsily brushed his hand against hers, but she did not falter in her needle work. "You're beautiful…" he whispered softly.

Zelda felt her cheeks grow hot as she looked him in the eyes. "W-what?" she asked, caught off guard by this sudden proclamation. He didn't repeat himself though and that's what told Zelda that it had been the effects of the Chateau Romani, misting his mind away from the pain that had caused him to say that. She couldn't help but shake her head and smile warmly at him as she lowered her head to finish up her work. "Thank you…" she whispered softly, her tired mind finally being set to ease.

* * *

"_Amazing…" Zelda studied the mark of the Triforce of Wisdom on the back of her hand as her and Link sat on the steps of the courtyard, some time after Ganondorf's arrest. "How did you even find out about this?"_

"_You told me," Link said, glancing at his own Triforce mark._

"_Really?" Zelda looked at him and smiled softly. "What will I be like as grown up? Will I be beautiful?" she placed dramatic emphasis on the word "beautiful", which caused both of them to laugh._

"_A little…" Link said jokingly. Zelda raised an eyebrow at him._

"_Only a little?" Zelda pouted. "I think you're lying. I bet I'm going to be gorgeous!" Link answered her with laughter and after a moment or two, the princess joined in as well. _

"_Actually," Link said a few moments later. "I only saw you as a princess for a little bit."_

"_Huh?" Zelda wondered. "What is that supposed to mean?"_

"_I saw you a lot as I traveled across Hyrule looking for the sages," Link told her. "But every time I saw you, you were disguised as a Sheikah."_

_Zelda laughed. "Really?" her eyes lit up. "That's so cool! Was it a really good disguise?"_

"_It was enough to fool both me and Ganondorf," Link said. "Probably because you looked like a man…"_

"_WHAT?!" Zelda exclaimed in disbelief. "A man?! Why would I dress up like a man? I'd dress up like a pretty Sheikah lady!" She said distinctly. Link couldn't help but break out into laughter at this though and Zelda glared at him harshly until she couldn't any longer. Eventually she gave up and joined him, causing the happy giggles of the two children to echo throughout the courtyard._

* * *

**Have you ever been writing and you just get on a roll and won't stop even though your chapters are getting really long? yeah, that's what keeps happening to me and I'm supper sorry! Anyway, just to note, the dream that Zelda had at the beginning is some major main plot foreshadowing so keep it in the back of your mind! Also, I hope you liked the light action that was in this chapter oh! and this story is rated T for blood and violence and other stuff like that. By the way, I could really use some more reviews for this story, so please leave me a review, even if its a short one! Until next time!**


	7. A Promise Made

_Chapter 6_

Zelda glanced over at Link and smiled as she brushed the tangles out of her soaking wet hair. They were back at the Inn, and Link, still under the effect of the Chateau Romani's sleep-inducing qualities, was resting peacefully on the bed as Zelda cleaned herself up. It had been mid-morning when they left the ranch, and though it took some trouble to keep Link balanced on the back of the horse, Zelda got them back to Clock Town by noon. The first thing she had done when they got back was bandage Link's leg and then, though it flustered her a bit, she changed him into a clean pair of tights as the pair he had been wearing before was torn and bloodied. Luckily, he had been unconscious when she did this, which made it slightly less awkward.

And so, she let him rest in her bed, since she obviously wasn't going back to sleep even though she was exhausted. So instead, she busied herself with making herself more presentable. When she had first returned from the ranch, her hair was tangled and messy and her nightgown and cloak were stained with mud and blood. So she fixed her hair and got dressed in a simple yellow dress, one of the three that she had brought and, though she did not have much experience, washed her and Link's filthy clothes. After she was finished with these tasks, she sat down by the window and looked out at the town once more, which was busy in the early-afternoon sunshine. After a few moments, her eyes began to grown heavy, until she finally shut them and drifted off into a stupor.

"Zelda?" hearing Link's voice, Zelda slowly opened her eyes sometime later to find him standing beside her, his hand gently placed on her shoulder. Unlike the last time he had been awake, the effects of the aged milk had worn off and he was in full control of his senses once more.

"Hey," Zelda smiled tiredly at him. "You shouldn't be walking around on that leg yet. The stitches could break."

He smiled softly at her and shook his head, but followed her instruction and limped back to the bed. "Thank you," he said as he sat down on the bed. "It looks and feels a lot better."

Zelda nodded as she walked over and sat down beside him. "You know…" she said. "We've wasted almost an entire day day. And I don't think you're really going anywhere with that leg today. Besides, I'm exhausted. Why don't we just call it a day and go see the rest of Termina tomorrow if you're feeling better?"

"But Zelda," he protested. "Are you sure? Tomorrow's our last day here. We shouldn't lose an entire day because of me."

"No," Zelda shook her head and smiled warmly. "I think I've had more than enough activity for one day…" She yawned sleepily. "It looks like the sun's going down anyway. I hardly slept at all last night…"

"I'm sorry," Link apologized. "It's my fault…"

"No…" Zelda sighed as she suddenly remembered her dream. "It wasn't. When Tatl came to get me, I was already awake."

"Why?" Link asked.

"I…I had a dream…" Zelda frowned, recalling the details of her premonition. "Something or someone was chasing me through the lost woods. When it caught up with me it said that it had finally found the "holder of the essence of Nayru", meaning the Triforce of Wisdom. Then it said that soon, "all three" would be in its grasp…. Link, I believe that this was a vision… A warning that something is after the Triforce… After us… But exactly who or what, I have no idea…"

Link nodded solemnly, not questioning the princess' logic. "So what should we do?"

"I'm not sure…" Zelda sighed. "It was so short, yet so vivid. The only other thing that happened is as soon as the voice finished speaking, I felt a great pain and the Triforce of Wisdom flashed wildly and then went out. Then, I woke up… Whatever it is, I have a feeling that it will stop at nothing to get its hands on the full Triforce… I have a feeling that we're in great danger…"

"Zelda," the hero looked her squarely in the eyes and spoke with a strong and steady voice. "I promised Impa that I wouldn't let anything happen to you and now I'm making that same promise to you. I don't care what this thing is; I will make sure that it won't hurt you. I promise."

Zelda's heart warmed as she looked him back in the eyes and his words eased her fears and worries away. Link always kept his promises, she knew that. And she knew, without a doubt, that he would keep this one.

"Thank you…" she said softly, gently taking his hand in her own. For the next several minutes, the simply sat there, relaxing in the comfortable silence of the room. But, when Link stood to head for his bed on the floor, Zelda held onto his hand tightly and did not let go, a strong and sudden fear overtaking her.

"Zelda…" Link smiled kindly at her. "I'm fine. I'm not going anywhere."

"No," Zelda shook her head and tightened her grip on his hand, her eyes wide. "Please… I…" She took in a deep breath as she tried to form the words she wanted to say. Her cheeks were hot and her heart was racing as she realized what she was about to ask him. "I was just thinking that… since you're hurt…" She stammered, unsure of why she was getting so flustered. In theory, what she wanted to ask should not have been so hard to get out, but playing words over in her mind was much easier than saying them aloud. "Well… the bed is plenty big enough for… both of us…"

Link's eyes widened the moment she said it. His mind began to race once more as his heart started pounded violently. It wasn't really hard to see the reason behind this sudden request: clearly, Zelda was still worried about his leg and she was still shaken up about her dream. Zelda wanted him to be there when she woke up, to ensure the safety of both of them. But Link knew that what she was asking bordered on inappropriate behavior. If anyone found out, he could be in a great deal of trouble for it. But, as he began to protest the idea, he looked into Zelda's beautiful, pleading, fearful blue eyes and all his arguments melted away. Unable to reject her, he simply nodded in agreement. After all, they were just going to sleep, nothing more; innocent enough.

And sure enough, Zelda benefited from it. She fell into a contented sleep, with him at her side, and unlike the previous night, she enjoyed a full night's rest.

* * *

An evil presence lurked in the darkened shadows of the lost woods as Link stood within them, his sword drawn, ready to fend off whatever it was. He could tell it was nearby from the fell wind that blew through the leaves on the trees. He looked around the small clearing that he was standing in, staining his eyes in the darkness to try and see what it was. Suddenly, an ear-piercing, desperate scream tore through the tense silence of the woods and immediately, Link knew who it belonged to: Zelda.

Completely forgetting about the foreboding presence that haunted the woods, Link ran, as fast as his legs could carry him, in the direction that Zelda's cry had come from. "Zelda!" he called out her name, trying to locate her. Another scream echoed through the trees in response and the hero followed it. He knew from the sheer terror that it carried that she had to be in danger and he knew that at all costs, he had to get to her before it was too late.

He emerged into the clearing that was close to the entrance to Termina, only to find it empty, with no Zelda in sight. He called her name out once more, but this time, instead of her piercing cry, he was met with a menacing laugh that could not have belonged to the princess.

"My, my, Hero of Time…" the laughing voice said twistedly, its form hidden from view. "You certainly seem to be concerned for the welfare of the princess…"

"Who's there?" Link called out, his grip on his sword tightening. "What have you done with Zelda?!"

The voice laughed once more. "How amusing," it sneered. "That the Hero of Time, who possess the Triforce of Courage and the princess of Hyrule, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom, would be so loyal to one another…"

"Leave her alone!" the hero shouted in anger at the invisible voice.

"Why?" the voice asked smugly. "Because you 'vowed' to protect her? Foolish hero… You may have bested that weak fool Ganondorf, but you will soon find that I am infinitely more powerful than he ever could have been. So tell me, how do you plan on protecting her from me when you won't even be able to protect yourself?!"

The triumphant laughter of the voice echoed throughout the woods as Link felt a sharp and sudden pain come over him. Collapsing to the ground, he noticed that the mark of the Triforce of Courage on the back of his hand was flickering wildly, until, when his pain was at its' height and he was unable to take it anymore, it went out altogether.

* * *

Link jolted awake, his muscles still tense as he realized that he was still in the room at the inn, with Zelda sleeping peacefully and safely beside him. He slowly sat up in the bed, taking care not to stir Zelda as he tried to calm his racing heartbeat. Of course, he knew well that the dream that he had just had reinforced the one that Zelda had experienced the past night, which meant that indeed, that hidden voice was very real and was actively hunting both of them. But even in spite of that fact, Link was determined as ever to keep his promise to keep Zelda safe. She depended on him and he was not about to let her down.

"Link?" Zelda rolled over sleepily, opening her eyes to look at the hero tiredly. "What's wrong?" she asked, still half-asleep.

Of course, he knew that he should tell her about his dream, but he refrained himself. Zelda was already worried enough from her own dream; Link didn't want the last day of their trip to be spoiled by it. "Nothing," he said a bit hesitantly. "Go back to sleep."

Zelda smiled at him warmly. "Could you do me a favor first?" she asked groggily. "Could you play the song of the royal family on the ocarina for me? It always helps me get back to sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night…"

Link returned her smile as he took the Ocarina of Time out and recalled the notes of the melody. "Sure," he said as Zelda closed her eyes to listen while he played the soothing and sweet lullaby, which after a few moments lulled the princess back to sleep.

Putting the instrument away, Link lied back down as well and smiled at the princess as she slumbered, listening to her relaxed breathing, which after a while, calmed him back to sleep as well. For somehow, seeing her at peace made him forget, if even for a short time, the danger that he knew loomed over both of their heads.

* * *

"_I'm not sure if I understand…" Zelda frowned at Link. "Why would I send you back seven years in time after you just saved Hyrule? Wouldn't that just undo everything?"_

"_Well, I guess it kind of did…" Link shrugged. "But I think you felt bad about everything that had happened. You said that everything that happened to Hyrule was your fault and that it was because of you that I missed out on my childhood. I guess you just wanted to make things right."_

_Zelda sighed, still clearly bothered. "Are you mad?" She asked, looking at him sadly. "That all your hard work had been for nothing? It's OK to blame me if you are…"_

"_I'm not…" he assured her. "You must have known that I was going to come back to tell you about Ganondorf's plan, so that none of that could happen in the first place. That was pretty smart of you…"_

_Zelda blushed. "Well I must not be that smart…" she said. "I thought that opening the Door of Time was a good idea, but clearly it wouldn't have been. It's a good thing you were around though, otherwise who knows what would have happened because of me?"_

_Link shook his head. "By sending me back, you saved Hyrule from seven years of Ganondorf's rule," he said consolingly. "It was you who saved Hyrule."_

"_No…" Zelda said, a smile coming across her face. "You did! You were the one who defeated Ganondorf in both the present and future."_

"_But I never would have been able to do that if it wasn't for you!" he proclaimed, his competitive nature getting the better of him._

"_But you had to end up saving me!" Zelda declared stubbornly._

"_I wouldn't have even made it to half of the temples if it wasn't for you teaching me those warping songs!"_

"_Don't be so modest! You saved Hyrule!"_

"_No, you did!" _

"_You did!"_

"_You did!"_

_The modest argument went on for some time, until the two children finally came to the agreement that it was through both of their efforts that Hyrule was currently safe, and they couldn't be more thankful to each other for it._

* * *

**Its midnight as I'm posting this! yay for crazy late nights! Only like one more chapter until the plot arrives! Until next time!**


	8. Terminian Moon

_Chapter 7_

The next morning found both Link and Zelda rising early, both of them well-rested and ready to explore the land of Termina. And, for the entirety of the day, that's exactly what they did.

The two of them spent the morning in the Snowhead region, where, despite its name, was mostly covered in a fresh coat of springtime, with a few small patches of snow here and there. In this mountainous place there was much to see and do: enjoy the natural beauty of Spectacle Rock, gaze at the towering Snowhead Mountain, spectate in on the exciting Goron Races; all events which Link and Zelda gladly enjoyed until they traveled to the Southern Swamp after lunch. Zelda was quite fascinated by the swamp, as she had never seen one before, and found it to be both strange and beautiful as her and Link took the boat tour of the swamp.

After leaving the swamp and riding through Termina Field for a bit, they arrived at the Ikana Canyon, which was indeed a mysterious and desolate place, but nonetheless, its vast expanses took Zelda's breath away. Before returning to Clock Town, where the Carnival of Time was to happen that very night, Zelda requested that the two of them return to the Great Bay one last time, so she could catch another glimpse of the vast ocean in the warm setting sun.

By the time the made it back to Clock Town, the sun had set and the Carnival of Time was already in full swing. The already festive Clock Town seemed to take on an entirely new glow; flags, banners and lights were hung from every building and the streets were filled with happy carnival attendees who were enjoying the activities that the event had to offer. A wide variety of festivities were taking place throughout the busy town, including a mask show, various food and craft venders and performances by the traveling Gorman Troupe in South Clock Town and even by the renowned Zora band, the Indigo-Gos; all events that Link and Zelda enjoyed immensely. Yet, as the evening wore on, the two gradually slipped away from the celebrations, and for no real reason, soon found themselves standing on the wooden platform that rested on the roof of the milk bar, where they had a nice, yet private view of the glowing town. And, for a while, the two simply stood there, taking in the bright sights and sounds of the carnival, until Zelda noticed that the clouds that had been shielding the moon were being pealed back, revealing the large, full, silver orb of night in all its glory.

Her eyes lit up with wonder when she saw it. "Oh…" She whispered, entranced by its majesty. "The moon… It's so beautiful…"

Link glanced towards it and laughed softly. "You think so?" he asked, a slight tone of joking in his voice. "Then, you should have seen it with a face."

Zelda giggled for a second and then smiled at him. "You know, you still haven't told me… How did you manage to defeat that thing in the first place?"

Link's smile faded as he stared intently at the moon. "I did tell you," he said, lacking the zeal he normally had when he recounted his Terminian adventures. "I played the 'Oath to Order' to summon the four giants and they stopped the moon's descent long enough for me to defeat Majora's Mask."

"I know," Zelda glanced at him sideways. "But how did you defeat the mask in the first place? Every time you tell me that story all you say is that you beat it, but I want to know how."

The hero sighed, still looking at the moon carefully. Indeed, it was somewhat strange for him to see it without the menacing face that it carried when it had threatened to plummet into Termina several years ago. "You're right," he admitted. "I haven't told you that one yet. In fact, I think it's just about the _only _story I haven't told you."

"Why?" Zelda asked a bit worriedly. "Please, tell me…"

Link sighed once more and closed his eyes, trying to remember the details of the showdown. "You know that after the giants arrived, Majora's Mask left Skull Kid and fled inside the moon, right?"

Zelda nodded. "Right," she said, recalling the tale that he had told he many times. "And then you and Tatl followed it inside."

"Yes…" Link said tentatively. "But neither one of us believed our eyes when we saw what was up there: an endless grassy field with only a tall, single tree standing in the middle of it. It was such a strange place; like walking into a dream."

"Where was the mask?" Zelda asked, already wrapped up in the tale.

"It was up there…" he said. "There were five strange children sitting around the tree, four of them wearing the remains of the four monsters I defeated to free the giants and the fifth was wearing Majora's Mask. None of them tried to attack me though. The first four only asked me if I could give them any masks. At first, I told them I didn't have any, but eventually, I ended up giving them almost all of the masks that I had gotten during my time in Termina."

"Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know…" the hero said thoughtfully. "I guess it wouldn't matter either way. If that was all they wanted, then why not give them the masks? And in the end, it was a good thing that I did."

"Really?" Zelda leaned forward on the platform's railing. "How so?"

"The child that was wearing Majora's Mask asked me if I wanted to play a game with it, which of course, meant fight it. But when it noticed that I didn't have any masks left, it gave me a new one. Tatl told me it was called the Fierce Deity's Mask and that it had a strong, but dark power inside of it. She warned that it was dangerous, and that if I put it on, there was a very real chance that I wouldn't be able to take it off."

"You mean that it would have corrupted you?" Zelda said a bit fearfully. It didn't take too much explaining for her to understand the frightful implications of what could have happened to him. "It would have taken over your soul…?"

Link simply nodded; his expression deep in concentration. "I knew the risks, but at the moment, I didn't have much of a choice. I knew I couldn't take on that mask alone. And, so… I put it on."

Zelda stared at him intently. "Were you afraid?" she asked; her voice tense. "Of what could happen?"

A slight smiled crossed his face. "Actually, I was a little afraid," he said, not used to admitting fear. "But I knew what I had to do. Innocent lives would be lost if I didn't stop that thing and so I did what I had to."

"What did it feel like to have that much power at your disposal?" she asked.

"Terrifying," Link said, finally looking her in the eyes. "It was like I was in some sort of dream. As I fought Majora, I could see what was happening and I could feel my body moving, but I was in no control of my actions. The mask had almost complete control over me."

Zelda's brow furrowed. "But you could still think and feel what was going on, right? That's how you were able to take it off, wasn't it?"

Link nodded. "I guess I still had enough control in the end to take it off after Majora was destroyed. But if I had let it take full control… Who knows what could have happened?"

Zelda placed a consoling and gentle hand on his shoulder and gave him a soft smile. "But you didn't," she said. "You managed to save yourself and Termina… And for once, I think I know how…"

"Really?" Link returned her smile. "Tell me."

"Because," Zelda said, impulsively slipping her fingers into his own, causing Link's heart to skip a beat. "You're a hero and you don't give up easily. You were ready to sacrifice your own free will to save all of those people, which shows that you have a strong heart. No wonder Farore entrusted that to you," she tapped the mark of the Triforce of Courage on the back of his hand. "You've proved time and time again that you deserve it."

Of course, Link could have said any number of things at that moment in response to the princess' kind words. He could have thanked her for them, or played them off with modesty, but instead, he remained quiet, simply staring at the silver sphere that was Termina's enormous moon, as countless stars glittered around it.

"Link…" Zelda's voice was soft and melodious as it reached his ears several minutes later. "Out of anyone that I could be here with… I'm so glad that I'm here with you…"

Link's mind suddenly raced to find a reply to the heartfelt statement, but before he could utter a single word in response, the boom of fireworks erupted from the Clock Tower, signifying that midnight had arrived. The tower toppled over, as it did every year amidst the glow of the colored bursts, opening the gateway for people to stand on the face of the tower.

As Zelda stood, engrossed in the parade of fireworks dancing in the sky, Link was caught up in another sight entirely. Once more, his heart began to race as he gazed upon her, almost glowing with beauty in the pale moonlight, the fireworks radiating her face with random splashes of color. He felt his hand still intertwined with hers and he told himself to let go of it, but his hand would not move. His cheeks, already as red as fire, burned even hotter as Zelda unceremoniously edged closer to him, until she was leaning into him, her head placed against the top of his shoulder.

"You're breathing heavily…What are you so nervous about?" Zelda giggled a bit as she glanced up at him. "Its fine. Relax…"

_Relax… _Link repeated the word in his mind as command, watching as Zelda closed her eyes and smiled contentedly as she began to softly hum the song of the royal family, a song that had often acted as a lullaby to the princess in her childhood. The song had a desired effect, managing to ease Link's racing heart and thoughts a bit. And gradually, he allowed himself to relax into the melody that Zelda, looking, sounding and acting perhaps more lovely then he had ever seen her before, was crafting, until he felt himself being carried away by it, with no one else but her beside him.

* * *

_It had been at least two months since Ganondorf's arrest and within them, Link and Zelda had become close companions. Many sunny afternoons were spent by the two children in the courtyard of the castle, filled with tales of Link's adventure or at other times, simply idle chat. But the courtyard was not the only place where the two spent their time; on many occasions, the young princess would lead the hero through secret, hidden passages of the castle, where the two of them would creature adventures all their own. And so, in such a way, many peaceful, happy days passed. Yet even in the midst of this supposed contentment, Link couldn't help but feel a sense of longing. When he had returned from the future Hyrule, he had parted ways with a friend, one who had been loyal and invaluable throughout his journey. This friend had not breathed a word about where or why she was going when she had left, but Link knew that he had to see her again, even if it was only for a moment. But he also knew that if he was going to look for her, he would be gone for some time. And there was one person that he absolutely could not leave without saying goodbye._

_Zelda's smile upon seeing Link enter the courtyard quickly turned to a frown the moment she saw him fully equipped with a sword and shield, and a small brown mare following beside him. _

"_Link…" she said solemnly, realizing his intentions without him even having to say them. _

"_Zelda…I…" he stammered as he saw the princess' saddened expression. "I'm sorry…"_

"_You...You're already leaving this land of Hyrule, aren't you…?" she said, turning her back to him as she tried to hide tears. _

_He could tell by the tone of her voice that she was upset, but he couldn't come up with any comforting response to give except for one. "It won't be forever…" he said quietly. Slowly, Zelda turned to face him once more, her eyes still filled with pain._

"_Even though it was only for a short time, I feel like I've known you forever, Link…" she sighed, looking down. She shook her head and smiled faintly. "I'll never forget the days we spent together in Hyrule… And… I believe in my heart that the day will come when I shall meet you again…"_

_Link returned her soft smile and stepped a bit closer to her. "So do I…" _

"_So," Zelda said, reaching into the folds of her dress for something. "Until that day comes, please… take this…" she pulled out a small object and held it out in her open hands for him to see it: the treasure of the royal family, the Ocarina of Time. "I am praying…" she said, worry creeping into her voice. "I am praying that your journey be a safe one. If anything should happen to you, remember this song… This reminds me of us…" their eyes met for a moment as she put the instrument to her lips and played a cryptic, ancient, mysterious tune that Link had learned to play before: the Song of Time. She said nothing as she finished the melody, but simply placed the ocarina in Link's hands and looked at him expectantly, silently commanding him to repeat the song. He did so, while the princess watched sadly, knowing that their time together grew short._

_Upon completing the melody, he put the ocarina away. "Thank you…" he said, wanting to say so much more than that, but finding no words. When Zelda did not speak either, he simply turned away from her, no longer able to look her in her sorrowful blue eyes, and mounted the horse._

_Zelda stood still as she watched him begin to ride away. She opened her mouth to utter a goodbye, but found herself saying something entirely different. "The Goddess of Time is protecting you…" she called out after him and he glanced back at her only for a moment, but did not stop the horse. "If you play the Song of Time, she will aid you…" She finished just as Link rode out of sight. A single, warm tear fell down her cheek as she whispered one last goodbye, though she knew he wouldn't hear it. "Link… I'll miss you…"_

* * *

**Awww... that last bit was so sad to write... in case you don't recognize it, its from the flashback in the begining of Majora's Mask, where Zelda gives Link the Ocarina of Time :) So anyway, I think, now that we're 7 chapters in, its about dang time for the plot to arrive don't you? and indeed, it will come... next time!**


	9. Sorceress of Shadow

_Chapter 8_

Altogether, Link and Zelda probably only slept for four hours that night, but it was enough. They were well-rested even in spite of their lack of sleep, and when the sun rose over Clock Town the next morning, the two were already prepared to return to Hyrule. They had gathered up their belongings and had slipped out of the inn and into the empty streets unnoticed. No one would be up for hours anyway in wake of the previous night's festivities, so no one, not even Tatl who had flittered off with her brother and Skull Kid in the rush of the carnival, was about to see the pair make their way towards the Clock Tower.

Link had already opened the large wooden doors and Zelda turned to take in one last glimpse of Termina, a land that in a few short days, she had already grown to love. "This place is incredible…" she sighed wistfully.

"Maybe we can come back someday…" Link offered as the two of them passed through the doors.

"I'd like that," Zelda smiled warmly at him as the large doors closed behind them, leaving them in the noisy darkness of the tower. The noise faded entirely however, as they passed through the next set of wooden doors, which led them out of the tower and into the bridged gap that they had traveled through days ago. Once again, they passed over the gap and climbed down the ladder, heading into the large room that the two had fallen into on the way there.

"How are you planning on getting back up there?" Zelda asked, eyeing the steep wall stood in their way, with the gateway back into the forest carved somewhere into it.

"The same way I did last time," Link smiled cleverly as he pulled his hookshot out and took aim at the wall, into the lingering darkness above their heads where the passage must have been. The tool fired, and its hook miraculously lodged itself into something and stayed there. He reached a hand out for Zelda to take, and she firmly grabbed onto it, knowing exactly what was coming next. No more than a second after she took Link's hand, her stomach lurched as the two were being blindly pulled through the darkness towards the spot that the hookshot had lodged itself into. Luckily that spot was the edge of the drop off, which made Zelda think that it had not been as long of a drop as she could have been led to believe when she had fallen from it earlier.

The two pulled themselves up unto the ledge and walked through the tunnel, heading back into the lost woods once more. Upon seeing the darkened forest once more, both Link and Zelda were suddenly reminded of their respective dreams, having forgotten about them during the excitement and joy of the previous day, but neither one mentioned the promotions to the other at the moment.

Link frowned as he looked to the spot that he had left Epona in three days ago, only to find no sign of the horse anywhere around. "Stubborn thing…" he muttered, pulling out the Ocarina of Time and quickly playing the song that always worked as a sure-fire trick to calling Epona. However, the horse did not come speeding into the clearing as she normally would have upon hearing the song echoing through the trees.

"See?" Zelda crossed her arms as the two got down from the large stumps. "I told you! Someone must have come through here and stole her."

Link glanced around the clearing once more. "I doubt it," he said, rolling his eyes at her. "She must have just wandered off. What's strange though is that she's not coming to the song…" Hesitantly, he played Epona's Song on the ocarina once more, only this time, he was greeted with the horse's neigh sounding off in the distance several hundred yards away. She was not visible in the thick woods and would still not come. "It sounds like she's in distress…" Link said, making sure that his sword was still securely strapped to his back. "Stay here," he said to Zelda, not wanting her to get caught up in whatever was assailing Epona.

"Wait!" Zelda cried, grabbing onto Link's arm as he began to step away from her. The dread of being utterly alone, desperately running from that hidden voice filled her once more. And she almost begged him to stay or at least let her tag along based on that, but she stopped herself the moment she saw his still bandaged leg. If it was to chase her here and now, if it were to chase both of them, there would be no way he could get away fast enough with his injury, though it had healed remarkably. Nonetheless, Zelda frowned and let go of his arm, resolving that if it had to get one of them, it would be better if it captured her than him. "Be careful…" she warned, looking down.

Guilt suddenly struck Link as he began to walk away from the princess. He questioned if leaving her alone in the middle of the woods was the best course of action after all, but he knew that he wasn't going far. If Zelda was attacked, there would be a good chance of him getting back to help her in time. But there was no guarantee.

Zelda watched him carefully as he headed out of sight, into the inky depths of the treacherous woods. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and prayed to Nayru for protection, knowing that if she could remain safe in these next few minutes, then her premonition would be proven wrong and they'd both be safe.

The forest was still and silent to the point that Zelda could no longer hear Link's footsteps in the distance or the sound of Epona's cry in the distance. And suddenly, an entirely new fear came over her: what if it decided to go after him first? If it did, she had no doubt that Link would be capable of defending himself, but if he was somehow subdued by it, her chances would not be good either. She took in a breath to call out his name, but before she could let it out, a bitter wind whipped through the trees, carrying a presence of darkness on it. Zelda's mind flashed back to her dream, and suddenly, without a doubt, she knew that _it _had arrived. Her eyes widened, and her feet became frozen in fear. She had a mind to run, to flee in the direction that Link had went, but she commanded herself to remain still. Whatever this thing was, she would not let it see her fear.

A quiet laugh echoes through the shaking branches of the tress above her and Zelda almost gasped, not out of surprise in its suddenness, but out of surprise in its sound. The voice was just as dark and menacing as it had been in her dream, but there it had been little more than a mysterious whisper, and Zelda had not been able to determine its gender, though she suspected its owner to be a male. What she never could have guessed is that the voice that had haunted her dreams several nights ago was actually a feminine one.

"Greetings princess…" the female voice said in a calm manner as it finally revealed itself. The woman appeared out of thin air only a few feet away from where Zelda was standing, and somehow, her physical appearance was almost exactly what the princess had expected the moment she noticed that the voice was that of a woman's. The woman was tall, towering over Zelda by at least two heads, though not surprising since Zelda was not too tall to begin with. Her skin was a pale blue pigment and much of her head was covered by a dark blue downward curving, pointed headdress that covered one of her eyes though an unbroken bang of bright red hair jutted out from it over her face. The one eye that was visible was a red pupil surrounded by yellow, and filled with wicked malice. The woman wore a purple midriff-bearing armor as her top, with upward pointed, thick shoulder pads and a white, flowing yet formfitting skit that fell well past the ground with more armor at her thighs and a piece of blue cloth bearing an eye symbol that looked similar to the Sheikah eye, but not quite. The woman was clearly older than Zelda by quite a few years, but she still looked to be quite young and beautiful, and her very presence commanded an air of power, respect, and treachery.

Zelda gasped and backed up when the woman suddenly materialized and a wicked smile formed on the woman's dark violet lips. Zelda's chest tightened, but she remembered her resolve to stand her ground. She was not going to turn and flee. She was going to face this woman, who without question sought her life.

"Allow me to introduce myself…" the woman bowed mockingly to the princess, showing no real signs of respect. "I have gone by many names over the years, but you may call me Veran, Sorceress of Shadow*. And, if you took that little dream of yours into any account, then you must know why I am here."

"Yes…" Zelda said, trying with all her might to keep her voice steady.

Veran still kept her cruel smile locked on her face. "Well then," she said. "You should know that I always get what I want some way or another. Which means that there are two ways that we can go about this: one is that you can be a fool and run away, knowing that eventually I will catch you. Or you can put that the wisdom that that Triforce piece of yours gives you to good use and surrender. I'll even be fair and advise you not to run. It would only make things harder for both of you."

Zelda's heartbeat picked up again, but she dared not let it show. "I'm not going to run," she said firmly, wanting to make reality differ from her dream.

Veran eyed her suspiciously for a moment but then her smirk returned. "But you do not intend to surrender; I can tell…" she said, her calm manner not wavering. "So, tell me then princess, what do you plan on doing?"

Zelda had a vague idea that Veran was somehow able to tell what she was going to do, but the princess decided to go through with her sudden, impulsive idea anyway. She stood firm, planting her feet into the ground as she lifted up her right hand, where the mark of the Triforce of Wisdom let out a pulse of bright light. "I'm going to fight," Zelda said with more confidence then she actually had, as the light enveloped her, quickly transforming her simple dress into the garb of a swift Sheikah warrior. It had been something that she had been able to do ever since Impa taught her how, upon the princess' own suggestion. She had gotten the idea to learn to disguise herself as a Sheikah from Link's storied of how, in the future of Hyrule that he had traveled to, Zelda had done the exact same thing for seven years. Zelda figured that it would be a useful skill to learn, along with learning how to fight like a Sheikah, in case there would ever be such a time as this moment, where she was forced into a position of protecting herself.

As the light faded from her, Zelda now stood before the Sorceress of Shadow as someone different entirely. Her face was perfectly concealed, only one eye visible amidst the face coverings and strands of lighter blonde hair that peeked out from her head wrappings. She wore a strip of torn white cloth over her bandaged bound chest that bore the Sheikah eye symbol and a blue, flexible, armored body suit that made movement much easier. The transformation even changed the color of her eyes from a soft, gentle blue, to a fierce, mysterious and unreadable red, a common eye color for Sheikahs. Along with this new form, Zelda also took a new name to accompany it, and a fitting one at that: Sheik.

Veran did not appear to be surprised by the transformation at all, or even as Sheik took up a fighting stance to oppose her. She simply laughed and eyed the still glowing Triforce mark on the back of Sheik's hand. "Well aren't you full of surprises Zelda…" the sorceress remarked, raising her palm up to allow a tongue of blue fire to float over it. "However, you will soon find that I am just as surprising." Veran aimed the tongue of fire at Sheik and let it loose towards it. Luckily, Sheik's reflexes were spot on, much more so then Zelda's normally were and she easily leapt out of the way of the shot. In retaliation, Sheik dashed at Veran with lightning fast feet, drawing out a hidden blade to attack. Veran, seeing the attack coming, simply teleported out of Sheik's line of fire right before the Sheikah could pounce on her. Sheik's small blade dug into the ground, but as she pulled it out, Veran unexpectedly appeared right behind her and quickly landed a powerful blow of magic on her back, knocking Sheik to the ground in pain. The pain was not too intense, but before Sheik could rise to her feet once more, Veran slammed her foot into the Sheikah's back, her sharp, pointed heels almost digging into her flesh. Veran's strong and steady foot kept Sheik locked in place on the ground, as sorceress pull Sheik's weapon out of the ground and tossed it aside with little consequence.

"Well that certainly was interesting," Veran sneered down at the struggling Sheikah beneath her. "I have to say that I didn't expect you to put up a fight at all princess… But even still, you lack even a shred of skill that it would take to even land a blow on me."

Sheik's cheeks burned hot at the stinging remark until she quickly thought of one of her own. "I may lack skill…" she said, this time not showing an ounce of fear in her tone, but rather defiance. "But Link doesn't! You will not bring him down as easily as you did me. He has bested far worse than you!"

Veran simply laughed at the remark. "Please…" she rolled her eyes. "That 'hero' of yours will be easy to defeat. In fact, unlike you, he won't even have a chance to put up a fight. For I know his weakness…" Veran laughed even louder and Sheik's heart and mind began to race again. _His weakness? _She thought, having no idea what it could be. _What weakness?_

"Well princess as entertaining as this has been," Veran said, preparing another blue flame to attack the Sheikah with. "I'm afraid I have other business to attend to… But don't fret my dear, for when you wake up, you'll be reunited with your precious hero…" Veran's laugh grew until it echoed through the trees as she blasted her dark magic at the Sheikah underneath her feet, instantly rendering her unconscious, which in turn, obliterated the princess' guise as Sheik.

* * *

Link had been searching the nearby woods for Epona for several minutes. However, as he followed the sound of the horse's neighing, it seemed to be growing farther and farther away, almost as if she was running away from him. Not wanting to go too far away from Zelda, he had half a mind to head back to her so the two of them could search together. But the moment he hear her frightened scream, he stopped dead in his tracks, and without even a second thought, he dashed back in the direction of the clearing, praying and hoping that both of their dreams had not come to pass.

Link burst breathlessly into the clearing, his sword already drawn, to find Zelda in the same place that he had left her in, the only difference being that she on her knees, her face buried into her hands as though she was crying.

"Zelda?" he rushed to her side, sheathing his blade. The princess turned her head and gasped with joy when she saw him coming. Instantly, she rose to her feet and wiped the tears that had been falling from her eyes.

"Oh Link!" She exclaimed happily, cupping her hands together. "I'm so glad you're here! I was attacked by monsters! I was so scared… But they must have fled when they heard you coming! Thank you so much for scaring them off!" Without any warning, she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and drew herself into an embrace, which he hesitantly returned. Something seemed off about her, but he couldn't quite place what it was.

After a moment or two, Zelda disbanded the hug and took both of Link's hands into her own, holding onto them tightly. "Please, allow me to thank you properly," she said sweetly, looking down at her feet. It was then that Link noticed that for some reason, she wouldn't look him in the eyes but before he could question it, she unexpectedly threw herself against him and firmly planted her lips against his.

Link's eyes opened wide and his heart began to race faster than ever before. A sensation of numbness and heat filled his body, making him wonder if it was simply the effect that someone received when kissing, as he had never done it before. His mind went blank though after almost no time at all, and he closed his eyes and found himself kissing her back, much to his wonder. They held this position for quite a while, neither one making any attempt to let go of the other. But as the seconds wore on into minutes, the hero unexplainably started to grow faint and dizzy; his legs were starting to waver and as he opened his eyes, he noticed that his vision was beginning to dim. He gently pushed his lips away from Zelda's gasping for the air that he had suddenly lost.

"Zelda…" Link sighed weakly as he felt his knees begin to buckle. Zelda watched him with a stone-cold expression for a moment, but slowly, her lips curled into a smile, but not the kind and gentle one that she normally carried. Rather, this was a grin full of malevolence and darkness. But Link had no means of reacting the princess' odd manner as he collapsed to the ground completely at Zelda's feet. His body was numb and unmoving as his vision continued to grow dark, but he glanced up at Zelda once more before he slipped into total unconsciousness. The princess was sending him an evil smile, coupled with a wicked laugh, with a voice that no longer matched the melodious tone that the princess usually carried. And just before he fell into the complete darkness of whatever spell she had trapped him under, he barely saw "Zelda" change shape entirely, revealing that he had not kissed the princess at all, but rather Veran, the Sorceress of Shadow, whose deceptive plan had worked perfectly and had managed to ensnare the hero with her poison-tainted lips.

* * *

_Zelda sighed as she sat on the steps of the courtyard, alone for yet another empty day. She had stopped counting how many days it had been since Link's departure from Hyrule long ago, but she knew that it had been at least a month. And ever since then, her life had returned to the boring routine that it had been before the two of them met. She sometimes kept herself busy with her ever growing list of royal responsibilities, but most things were still largely kept under her father's charge, giving her little to do. But her boredom was not what made her pine for ink's return. She missed her friend dearly, and every day she would pray to the goddesses for his safety and would wish for his soon return so that the two of them could return to their contented, simple days of innocence. There had been times when she thought that he would not come back, days that she had been discouraged about ever seeing him again, but in those times she would remind herself of the promise that he had made to come back, and she well knew that he would keep it. _

_Zelda closed her eyes to utter yet another silent prayer to Nayru for his safety when she heard approaching footsteps. She didn't think much of them though, believing them to belong to Impa who would soon be coming to tell her it was time for lunch anyway. But as she finished her prayer, she opened her eyes and gasped at the person who stood before her._

"_Link!" She exclaimed joyously as she quickly rose to her feet and recklessly embraced him, causing both of them to fall to the ground in laughter. _

"_It's good to see you too Zelda," Link smiled at the princess as the two got up from the ground. _

"_I knew you'd come back!" Zelda said proudly, her smile stretching far across her face. "I missed you so much! I'm so glad that you've returned."_

"_Well from the moment I returned to Hyrule, I knew that you'd be the first person I had to see," Link said, still grinning at her._

_Zelda tried to hide her blush. "Oh!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Where did you go?"_

"_I went to a place called Termina," link said as the two of them sat down on the courtyard steps._

"_Where?" Zelda raised a curious eyebrow at him. _

"_Termina," he repeated. "I actually saved it. The moon was going to fall on it and destroy the entire place and everyone who lived there, but I somehow stopped it and saved everything."_

"_No way!" Zelda's jaw dropped in disbelief. "How did you stop an entire moon from falling?"_

"_Well," the young hero laughed. "It's a long story…"_

* * *

**Alright! Looks like i have a LOT of explaining to do. Firstly about Veran. The Veran in this story is NOT the same Veran that appears in Oracle of Ages, though she looks the same and has the same name and title. Veran is an independent villain with NO connection to the Twinrova and is not working for anyone but herself in this story. I will give a back story for her in later chapters, which will give us more insight into her motives and past. I added Veran in here because I always thought that, as the only major female Zelda villain (aside from Twinrova), she is really fascinating. I really wanted to try something different with the villain of this story by making the villain a woman and I just love Veran's design and personality (though I will be adding my own little sprinklings of personality in here and there ;)**

**Also about Sheik. I really wanted to incorporate the element of Sheik in this story because she/he is one of my absolute favorite Zelda characters! So let me just say right now, that Sheik will appear in later chapters and (i should have put this at the end of the last chapter) so will the Fierce Deity's Mask in some way along with other Majora's Mask elements :) So in this story, I'm sticking by my opinion that Sheik is female, based on her design in Super Smash Bros Brawl.**

**Well, this was certainly a heavy chapter, wasn't it? Let me give you just a little glimpse of what's ahead because I'm so nice! I'll throw a few character (some we've seen before in this story, others we have not yet) names out there for you so you can be expecting them in later chapters: Ganondorf, Sheik (like i just said), Impa, Saria, Malon, Tatl, Navi, the Twili (possibly hinting at Midna or Zant), Anju and Kafei, Romani and Cremia, hints pointing towards Fi and Ghirahim (possibly), hints at SS Link and Zelda and also hints at TP Link and Zelda, and many, many more! This story is basically going to be my huge mish-mash of different elements from my top four favorite Zelda games: SS, OOT, TP, and MM. :)**

**Well that was lonwinded, but I felt like i needed to get all of that out there. Now that the plot's arrived, we're really getting into it! But, no more freebes! Find out what happens next time! :D**


	10. A Promise Broken

_Chapter 9_

With a dull ache in her back, Zelda awoke, but she wasn't entirely sure if she opened her eyes because of the pitch-black darkness that greeted her on all sides. Her back was against something cold and hard, and something was digging around her wrists. After a moment of confusion, Zelda found that she was hanging by her arms, which seemed to be bound by something. Her bare feet couldn't touch the floor as she stared into the blackness in front of her, trying to remember the circumstances that had brought her to this unknown place. But, as the princess recalled the events that had came to pass during her last bout of consciousness, her heart began to pound nervously.

She should have tried to run, or at the very least, she should have called out to Link for help. But instead, she impulsively and foolishly chose to fight Veran, thinking she could change the fate of her prophetic dream. But instead, she had managed to get captured by the wicked sorceress, the very thing she had tried to avoid. But at the moment, that was not what worried her the most at the moment. No, what frightened the princess the most was the prospect, however rare it may be, that Link had been subdued by Veran as well. So far as Zelda could tell through the thick darkness, she was alone in this room, with no one else around, not even Veran. Zelda decided to take that as a good sign, at least for Link's sake. It meant that, hopefully Veran hadn't captured him. But as for her own wellbeing, the princess wasn't positive of anything at the moment.

And so, at the moment, the most Zelda could do as she hung in the darkened room, bound to a rough stone wall by chains that she was almost sure were infused with some type of magic to strengthen them, was wait. Exactly what she was waiting for, she wasn't sure. Perhaps she was waiting for Link to come and free her, having defeated Veran. Or maybe she was just waiting, in the silence and stillness of the room, for something, anything to happen. She could only hope that whatever was about to happen would be to their advantage, not Veran's.

A sudden chill ran down Zelda's spine as a strange, unnatural blue flame finally lit up the room. Through the dim light, Zelda could see that the room seemed to be in the shape of a perfect triangle, with stone walls and floors. There were no windows in the room, and there was no door, making any normal means of escape impossible. The chamber itself was tall, but not too large, with each wall that made up a side of the triangle being about 15 feet wide. Three sections of the floor were painted yellow, with the center of the room being left bare, creating the image of the Triforce. Zelda's position was chained a few feet above the ground to the wall in the center of one of the walls, giving her a perfect view of the other two, both of which were only adorned with the same silver chains that bound Zelda's wrists to the wall. Zelda didn't have to think hard about who the other sets of chains were intended for…

Just as Zelda finished taking in the scope of the sealed chamber, the evil laughter that signified Veran's appearance echoed throughout the room. Zelda, still resolved to show no fear, glared bitterly at the Sorceress of Shadow as she finally made her appearance, materializing in the center of the room in a flash of violet light, blocking Zelda's view of the chains on the wall to her right. Veran simply smirked cruelly at the princess, when she saw the silent glare.

"Hello again Princess…" Veran said in a superior tone. "Allow me to apologize for the abrupt way that I had to bring you here, but it was completely necessary. Now let me offer you two choices once again: you can be a good, compliant little prisoner, or you can try to fight me, like you did in the woods, and try to escape in vain. Of course, it's entirely up to you. But I cannot and will not guarantee that either of you will make it out of here alive if you choose the latter."

Veran's evil smile widened as she stepped to the side, allowing Zelda to see the chains of the right wall again. "No…" Zelda whispered in shock and fear as she saw the unconscious figure that was now hanging from those chains. Her frightful premonition had come to full fruition. Indeed, Link had come, but in the last way that Zelda had wanted him to.

"Your "hero" is quite the catch," Veran snickered mockingly. "Quite the kisser, too…"

Zelda's widened eyes darted from Link to Veran, and a sudden flash of jealousy made her cheeks grow red. She almost outright questioned Veran about her meaning, but she didn't want to be fed lies. So instead, she turned her focus back to Link and tried to deduce how Veran could have subdued him. He showed no signs of battle whatsoever, not even a single scratch. So then, how did Veran manage to knock him unconscious? Just who was this mysterious "Sorceress of Shadow" and what kind of dark powers did she possess? And most importantly, what was her ultimate sinister goal? These questions flooded Zelda's mind, and gave her even more cause to worry.

"Well princess?" Veran grinned gloatingly. "Don't you have anything to say?"

A sudden wave of rebellion came over Zelda and she let it show. "We will get out of here," she spoke boldly, her voice stern and unwavering, hiding her true lack of confidence. "Both of us. We will protect this kingdom from you. You will not have the Triforce!"

Veran's yellow and red eyes flashed with sudden anger upon Zelda's declaration. "You will find that I have many ways of getting what I desire…" the sorceress hissed hatefully. "The Triforce, your kingdom, even the world. Soon, they will all be mine. And there will be nothing that you or your hero can do to stop me." Veran laughed triumphantly, leaving the hidden blue flame behind to keep the room alight as she vanished into thin air. Even after Zelda was sure she was gone, her booming laughter still echoed throughout the chamber.

Zelda sighed sorrowfully and closed her eyes for a moment, her arms starting to ache from hanging for so long. She looked back a t Link once more, and tried to push tears away. "Link," she said loudly, trying to draw him back into consciousness. "Wake up." She was met with no response, so she tried again, this time with more volume and desperation in her voice. "Link!" she called, a nervous knot forming in the stomach. "Link, wake up! Please!"

By the time the hero finally began to stir at the sound of his name, a stray tear or two had escaped from Zelda's eyes. When he slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was Zelda, chained to the left wall adjacent to him.

"Zelda…" he muttered tiredly, realizing that his own wrists were bound as well. "Is that really you?"

Zelda raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course it is," she said reassuringly. "Are you hurt?"

Link shook his head. "No. Are you?"

"I'm fine," Zelda said, whishing she could move her arms to wipe away the stray tears that had fallen from her eyes. She bit her lip anxiously. "So, how did she manage to capture you?"

"Who?"

"Veran," Zelda frowned, confused as to why he wouldn't even know who the Sorceress of Shadow was. She gave him a brief physical description of their captor, as well as the tale of her own defeat at Veran's hands, which signified that her dream had come to pass. "Veran used magic to knock me unconscious," Zelda looked down as she brought her explanation to a close. "And now… I haven't the slightest idea about where we could be. But I know this much: Veran intends to plunge Hyrule in an age of darkness using the power of the Triforce. I hate to say this, but I don't think we should underestimate her. After all, she defeated you as well somehow, right Link?"

Link's face suddenly grew red with both humiliation and shame as he finally remembered his first encounter with Veran in the woods. "Well… not exactly…" he began, avoiding eye contact with Zelda. "While I was looking for Epona, I heard you scream so I came rushing back to where you were."

"But I never screamed," Zelda said with confusion.

"That's because it wasn't really you," Link said. "It was her… Veran… She was disguised as you. She looked and sounded just like you, the only difference was she didn't act like you at all because she…" he hesitated to tell her, but he knew that he had to. "She kissed me…"

Zelda's eyes widened at him for a second, but then she looked down, not wanting Link to see both the jealousy and sadness in her eyes. She knew it was foolish to even care about something so trivial at a time like this, but Veran's cruel deception upset her nonetheless, as Link could clearly see.

"Zelda…" Link said, trying to think of something he could say, but finding nothing. "I…"

"It's not your fault," Zelda said, with little emotion in her tone. Her eyes were still trained on the stone floor below her. "So what happened after… that…?"

"I'm not really sure," the hero said, glad that they could move away from that uncomfortable topic. "I started to grow really weak until I passed out."

"Oh," Zelda said, finally looking up at him again. "She must have poisoned you. Maybe she knew that she would be defeated if you fought her so she decided to trick you instead," The princess concluded, remembering what Veran had said about the hero's "weakness". Could that weakness actually be Zelda herself? The prospect filled her with both surprise and for some reason she couldn't quite place, excitement. But before she could delve any deeper into these thoughts, Link interrupted them.

"Wait," a sudden thought occurred to the hero. "If she was able to capture both of us, then why hasn't Veran killed us already?"

"Because that's not what she wants," Zelda said, finally certain of something. "She wants the full Triforce and she knows that if she kills either of us, she won't be able to get it. She needs the holders of all three Triforce pieces alive and well and all in one place to gather them together again. How she intends to do that though, I have no idea…"

"But in order to do that, wouldn't she also need-"

"Ganondorf…" Zelda's face darkened as she finished Link's thought. This was the first time that she had even thought about that. It was true though. To gain the Triforce in full, Veran would need all three of them: Zelda, Link, and even Ganondorf, who without a doubt still possessed the Triforce of Power. And of course, bringing the disposed Gerudo king, who had been locked away within the great desert prison for the past seven years, to this place, wherever it was, would only cause more problems for the princess and the hero.

As the two of them pondered this for a moment or two, an even more terrible thought came to Link. One that brought him even more guilt and shame then the fact that he had kissed Veran. He had failed Zelda. He had promised to protect her, but he had not been there when she needed him the most. It was him who let her fall into the hands of the enemy. And it was because of him that her life was in grave danger.

"Link," Zelda said softly when she saw the sudden look of grief on his face. "What is it?"

He looked away from her, though he knew that she was still staring questioningly at him. As much as he didn't want to tell her, the words came out anyway. "I…I'm sorry…" he said bitterly.

"Sorry?" Zelda said with slight worry. "Sorry for what?"

"I… I broke… the promise I made to you…" Link said mournfully, his voice pained and quiet.

Zelda thought for a moment, remembering the promise that he had made to her back in Termina to keep her safe. "Oh Link…" she said sadly, tears almost filling her eyes. It tore her on the inside to see him in such a tormented state. She understood well what he must have been feeling: failure, guilt, defeat. Things that the hero certainly wasn't used to experiencing. And the fact that he was, almost surprised Zelda. For as long as she had known him, Zelda always saw Link as strong, brave and unbreakable. He had a confident smile and capable eyes. But now, as the realization hit him that he had broken his promise to someone who was incredibly important to him, both of those traits seemed to be gone from him. And Zelda couldn't bear it. She often looked to him for hope and comfort if she was ever afraid; she depended on his great courage. And Zelda was not about to let Veran destroy the very traits that she liked the most about him. What she perhaps even loved about him…

"Link, listen to me," Zelda said with such firmness in her tone that she automatically caught Link's eye contact. "You haven't broken your promise at all. I know that you are strong enough and courageous enough to stop Veran. I know that together, we both can, before she even gets close to taking over Hyrule. Because I believe in you. I always have."

Link said nothing for a while as he simply stared at her, caught up in her hopeful words. Her confidence in him seemed to renew his own, giving the hero a new sense of resolve. He realized at that moment, he _had _to protect her at all costs. Not just for the sake of Hyrule, but for his own sake as well. He had gotten close to losing her before, in a future that had fortunately been undone, but if something were to happen to her now… he couldn't even bear the thought. And so Link gave Zelda a soft smile to reassure her as well, that no matter what, he would give anything to keep her out of harm's way, even his own life if he had to.

* * *

"_A Deku Scrub?" Zelda couldn't help but giggle. "You mean those plant-creatures that you said live in the forest?"_

_Link smiled slightly as he nodded and Zelda burst out into gales of laughter._

"_What was that like?" Zelda asked after she was finally able to speak coherently again. "It must have been weird, huh?"_

"_It was," the young hero said, remembering back to the form that the mischievous Skull Kid had cursed him into upon their encounter in the lost woods. "I was shorter and I couldn't even use my sword! So right after he cursed me, Skull Kid flew away with one of the two fairies that were with him, but he accidently left one behind. Her name was Tatl and she kind of reminded me of Navi, only a lot meaner. She said that it was all my fault that she had been left behind and demanded that I help her catch up with Skull Kid and her brother, Tael."_

_Zelda giggled lightly again. "So did you let her tag along?"_

"_I didn't have much of choice," Link said, shrugging. "I figured that she could help me find Skull Kid so I could get Epona and the Ocarina back."_

_Zelda stopped smiling for a moment as he said this. "Why did you want it back so badly?" she asked inquisitively. _

"_Because," Link said, thinking that he was stating the obvious. "I thought you wanted me to keep it safe, right?"_

_The princess frowned, not getting the answer that she wanted. Of course, Zelda wanted the treasure of the royal family to be kept safe from evil, but she had wanted him to say that it was important because it was a precious memento of the time that the two of them had spent together. Time that she held close to her heart. But she knew that there was no way for him to know that's what she intended it to be. So, she simply sighed sadly and answered, "Right…"_

* * *

**OK, SORRY that it has been so long! I recently took a trip up to NY to see the Symphony of the Goddesses (which by the way was the greatest thing EVER!) where i totally fangirled out in all things Zelda! :D So anyway, this chapter was a bit hard to write due to writers block, but luckily for me i have a clear idea about where i'm going in the next several chapters, even though i'm largely making this up as i go along :D so anyway, until next time! :D**


	11. Dark Proposition

_Chapter 10_

"So there's no way out?" Link asked Zelda as he glanced around the triangle-shaped chamber that they were imprisoned in once more.

"None that I can see," Zelda replied. "I suppose that Veran gets in and out of here using teleportation magic. As for these chains…" Zelda lightly tugged at one of the metal shackles that bound her arms. "I can sense that they're infused with some kind of strange magic. Veran has clearly planned all of this out with great detail…"

"Just who is this Veran woman anyway?" Link wondered aloud, as did Zelda silently. "Why does she want the Triforce so badly?"

"If I could guess," Zelda looked up to the high ceiling of the chamber. "I would say she wants it largely for the same reason Ganondorf did. She wants its great power to conquer Hyrule. But, whatever her motives are, she must be stopped. I sensed a great evil from her, one that wants to cover Hyrule in dark shadows."

"That won't happen," Link said, though he didn't promise her anything. He didn't want to make another promise to her that he wasn't completely positive he could keep.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, _hero_…" Veran's wicked laughter bounced across the walls of the chamber before she even appeared. In the brief second before she materialized in the center of the room, Link and Zelda exchanged a hurried glance, and then, the Sorceress of Shadow was back once more. She snickered smartly as she looked over the two of them. "How amusing…" she scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Nayru and Farore must think themselves to be quite clever, to give their essences into the hands of mere children."

Neither one of them offered a reply as they gave her matching glares. For a moment she said nothing to either one of them as well, but simply grinned evilly and victoriously as her eyes continually moved between the two of them until they finally set their cold gaze on Link. "Oh I must apologize hero," Veran said, sarcasm clearly showing in her voice as she turned to fully face him. "I don't believe we were properly introduced. I am Veran, Sorceress of Shadow. Though from what I've heard, your dear princess has already fully informed you of that…" Veran still held her cruel smile as she turned full circle to face Zelda. "And I suppose I should apologize in advance to you, princess…" Veran mused as she eyed the princess like she was her prey. "But, you see, I simply must have a word with your precious hero _alone_…"

Both Link and Zelda's eyes widened when they saw the tongue of blue flame appear over Veran's outstretched hand. Neither of them had any time to try and stop it though, because in one single swift movement, Veran launched her attack on the princess with enough force to knock her into unconsciousness once more. Link's mind raced with fury when he heard the pained gasp escape from Zelda before she fell under and he tugged hard on the chains around his wrists in a desperate attempt to get to her.

"Leave her alone!" the hero shouted in rage at the sorceress, whose constant smile was finally gone when she turned to face him. Instead it was replaced with a look of piercing seriousness, almost a glare but not quite. More like a look of examination.

"And why should I?" Veran asked her tone icy. "Because you think you can fight me and win? If that's the case then it must be true what they say about courage: that it replaces reason."

Link had payed little attention to what Veran had said, though he still glared hatefully at her. "Let her go," he said quietly, though his voice was harsh and rigid. "_Now_."

Veran's face darkened until she was giving him a look that perfectly matched the hatefulness of the one that he was giving her. She said nothing as she simply snapped her fingers, causing a small dagger to appear in her right hand. Her eyes suddenly caught onto the bandage still wrapped around Link's injured leg, which was still as fresh and clean as it had been when Zelda changed it before they left Termina. Suddenly Veran vanished from sight, only to reappear inched in front of Link. With a great force of the hand, she plunged the dagger fully into the bandage, reopening the wound that Zelda had taken such care to stitch up. Link cried out in pain, but was cut off by Veran's sharp, quiet whisper.

"Now that I have your _full _attention, hero," she began, leaning into his face as she continued to dig the blade into his leg. "I have a little favor to ask of you."

"I… I'd never… do anything… to help… you…" Link gasped out defiantly between his quick, pained breathing.

Veran twisted the blade inside of his leg, causing him even greater pain. "Oh yes you will," she hissed, her evil eyes ablaze with violence. "I know you will do anything I say, if it will keep her alive." Veran motioned her head in Zelda's direction. Link's eye widened at what Veran seemed to be suggesting, and he already knew that whatever Veran was going to ask of him, if he didn't do it, she would most certainly murder Zelda right in front of him. This was clearly no hallow threat.

"What… do you… want…?" he asked after several moments of silence.

Veran's smile returned as he said this and she finally slipped her knife out of his thigh. She continued to hold the blood painted blade in her hand as she spoke, allowing it to act as a constant reminder to Link that Veran was more than capable of doing much worse to Zelda. "That's much better…" the wicked woman smirked in victory, knowing she had him ensnared to her bidding already. "Of course, what I want to ask of you shouldn't be too much for a hero like you anyway. All I need is for you to gather a few… things for me. It won't be difficult, I can promise you that."

"Then… why don't you… just go get them… yourself…" Link breathed, his leg burning in pain.

Veran frowned hatefully at him once more. "Don't be ignorant boy," she warned sharply, slightly lifting the dripping dagger up once more. "My attention is needed elsewhere, which is why I'm asking you to do this. After all, some do call you a "hero", do they not? I figured that who else would be better to accomplish a simple task such as this, than the hero who allegedly saved Termina single handedly? All I ask is that you gather these for me," The image of four ornate stone objects appeared above Veran's empty hand, each with a different shape, though each piece looked like they could fit together perfectly.

"What… are they…?" Link struggled to ask as blood continued to pour from his leg.

"If I had wanted you to know that, then I would have told you," Veran made the image disappear. "But at the moment, all you need to know is that each is located in a different section of Hyrule. One is located in the forest, one on the mountain, one in near the river, and one in the desert. I will give you seven days to find all of them and return. If you try to run away, then the princess will be the one who will suffer. If you tell anyone of your mission or that the princess is imprisoned here, she will suffer. And if you fail to find them on time, I can most certainly promise you that she will suffer. Do you understand hero?"

Link took in a deep breath and glanced over at Zelda, her head hanging unconsciously along with the rest of her limp body. As much as he didn't want to help Veran, knowing full well that what she was asking of him must have had some sort of dark purpose, he knew that Zelda would certainly be killed if he didn't. But then, a sudden thought occurred to him, one that he hoped would stop Veran dead in her tracks.

"If… you kill her…" he said, wincing in pain with each word. "Then you'll… never get the… Triforce…"

Veran narrowed her eyes at him and stared at him piercingly for a brief moment. "Who told you that nonsense?" the Sorceress of Shadow asked. "Was it her?" she pointed to Zelda, who was hanging behind her. "If you believe that, then you're both fools. I could have easily murdered both of you in the woods and the Triforce would be an easy bounty. But I didn't want to do things like that. I wanted to keep you both alive only for the purpose of letting you watch this land suffer when I obtain the full Triforce. But that's merely for my own amusement. Do not hesitate to think that if either of you get in the way of my plans, I won't mercilessly slaughter you right then and there. And so I will only tell you this one last time hero: you _will _go get what I need, or I _will _kill her right in front of you. It's your choice. What will it be?"

Link swallowed hard, trying to think of a way out of this, but finding nothing. He was trapped on both sides, but ultimately, he knew that Zelda had to come first. And so, he took in a deep breath and looked down as he gave her his answer. "I'll do it…"

Veran's lips curled into a wicked grin. "Perhaps you are not a much of a fool as I thought you were hero…" she said smartly. With another snap of her fingers, Link was suddenly blinded by a thick darkness for a moment or two, paired with a feeling of disorientation. When he finally regained his vision, he found that he was lying before the entrance to the Shadow Temple, located in Kakariko Village's graveyard. Was that where Veran had been holding them all along? It would be a fitting hiding place for their attacker, considering Veran's title as the "Sorceress of Shadow".

Link realized that he would freely move his arms as they were no longer bound by chains. As rain began to pour down from the grey morning sky, he also discovered that his sword and shield were once again strapped to his back, and he also had the rest of his gear back as well including one new addition: a map of Hyrule marked with the precise locations of the four stone items Veran had asked him to get.

"You have seven days," Veran's unseen voice called out though the pouring rain from inside the temple. "And, if you care at all about Princess Zelda, then do not fail me, hero…"

* * *

"_The moment that Skull Kid dropped the Ocarina I raced after it," Link said as Zelda listened intently, captivated by his sweeping tale._

"_And then what happened?" Zelda asked, hating the suspense. _

"_When I picked it up…" the young hero said thoughtfully, glancing at the princess with a slight smile. "I remembered… you…"_

_Zelda gasped softly, though she wasn't sure why. "R-really?" she asked, her eyes filling with wonder. "What did you remember about me?"_

"_The last time we saw each other before I left," Link said. "I remembered you giving me the Ocarina and teaching me the Song of Time and telling me to play it if I was ever in trouble and…"_

"_And what?" Zelda asked, biting her lip._

"_And how you said you knew that we'd met again…" Link smiled warmly at her, which after a moment or two she returned._

"_Well…" Zelda blushed a bit. "I guess I was right, wasn't I?"_

_Link nodded. "I'm glad you were."_

_Zelda looked down into her lap, still smiling at the kind remark. "So am I…" she whispered softly._

* * *

**Wow 2 chapters in one night! I'm on a roll! So... time for some adventuring! also time for some of those other characters that i mentioned to make an appearance! So... Its late and I'm gonna go to bed. :D but i could really use some more reviews so please do! until next time!**_  
_


	12. Almost Angelic

_Chapter 11_

Only now that Link could freely move his leg, could he feel the full intense pain of his injury. Thanks to Veran, the wound was already heavily bleeding again, though perhaps even more so then it had the first time. But Link knew that for Zelda's sake he had to put the pain out of his mind and just bear it. He didn't have time to get it taken care of, only having seven days to find the things Veran had asked him to and return to the Shadow Temple. Of course he wasn't sure if Veran would let either of them go if he did this, but at the very least, he knew that it would keep Zelda alive and hopefully unharmed. And keeping her safe was good enough of a reason for Link to hunt across Hyrule for whatever the things were that Veran had asked him to find.

And so after a moment or two of mental preparation for the impending pain, the hero forced himself off the ground and into a standing position. As he anticipated, the pain was incredibly severe, but once more he told himself to ignore it. Placing most of his weight on his uninjured leg, Link was able to slowly limp his way out of Kakariko's graveyard and into the village.

Cold rain still poured in gales in the village, which was largely still asleep in the early hours after dawn. Link was grateful though that no one was about; he didn't want anyone impeding his progress. Time was of the essence and he knew that the longer he took, the greater danger Zelda's life would be in. And so he edged his way across the village to the entrance, but not without extreme suffering. By the time he made it to the steps that led out of the village and out to Hyrule Field, he had lost a large amount of blood and was almost too weak to even stand. But, the hero stubbornly forced himself to push on, though he began to wonder how far he could get with in such a poor condition.

As he slowly worked his way down the stone steps, Link misjudged the distance between them with his already dimming vision and fell hard down them, sending an all new spark of pain down his leg as he landed in the mud of Hyrule Field. He tried with all of his wavering strength to pull himself up once again, but like the rest of his body, his arms were too weak to even come close. And so all he could do was lay there in extreme agony, both physically and mentally, he sent silent apologies to the princess, knowing that she wouldn't hear them.

Was this actually Veran's true plan? To let him die from blood loss and then kill Zelda some other way that would be just as equally miserable, if not more so, just to get her hands on the Triforce? But if that was the case, then why would she even ask Link to go out and collect those stone objects at all if she knew that he would fail? The strange and sadistic plans of the mysterious Sorceress of Shadow troubled the hero, even as he faded into unconsciousness in the downpour of bitter cold rain.

* * *

Someone was singing to him. A song that he had heard somewhere at least once. With a feminine voice that was so soothing and tender that Link thought that perhaps he was just dreaming it. Or perhaps it was the voice of angel, which would make sense, considering he was most certainly dead.

When he opened his eyes, he struggled to see the figure looming above him through the dimmed light of the place he was in and his own impaired vision. At first, the figure appeared to him as little more than a shadow, until its shape changed into what looked like the form of…

"Z-Zelda…" Link sighed in little more than a pained whisper, his breathing slow and forced.

The figure stopped singing and shushed him gently. "No," they sighed as though they were disappointed. "I'm not the princess. But I'm not going to hurt you. Now go back to sleep. You need to rest."

Link ignored their command and strained his eyes to make out the face of this person, whose voice sounded quite familiar to him. But he couldn't quite make them out in the darkness of the room that he was lying in. He was still in pain, but it was nowhere near as extreme as it had been before. "Who…" he struggled to ask as the figure moved from standing over him to reaching for something sitting on a nearby table. "…are you…?"

The figure, who Link guessed was a young woman based on her voice, laughed somewhat bitterly. "You don't recognize me?" she asked, turning towards him once more, holding a bottle full of some type of red liquid in her hand. "Come on, Link. It's only been about two weeks since the last time you where here at the ranch!"

Link studied her face a bit more carefully as she took a seat beside the bed that he was lying on and finally he recognized her. "Malon…?"

The farm girl laughed at his realization and nodded. "That's right," she confirmed, a light smile on her face. "Now I need you to sit up and drink this for me, Ok? Its red potion and hopefully, it will help restore a little bit of the blood you lost."

He didn't protest as Malon helped him into a sitting position and administered the medicine to him. The bitter red liquid almost immediately fulfilled its intended purpose, driving away some of the pain and renewing his energy.

After Malon carefully checked over the wound in Link's leg, which she had cleaned, stitched and dressed once more, though perhaps a bit more carefully then Zelda had back in Termina, she began to explain how he had gotten there in the first place.

"About two days ago," Malon began as she placed a fresh bandage over the wound. "I found Epona wandering around Hyrule Field near the ranch. It was then that I began to suspect that something was might have happened to you, since I gave Epona to you a few years back. But then I just figured that maybe she had ran away, considering how stubborn she is. That is, until I was making a milk run to Kakariko Village this morning and I found you lying by the steps of the village in the pouring rain, half-dead with your leg bleeding out! You're lucky I found you and brought you back here to Lon Lon Ranch, otherwise you'd be dead by now! What happened to you anyway?"

Link looked away from the girl who had saved his life, regretting that he couldn't tell her what really happened. But he remembered what Veran had said; that if he told anyone, Zelda would pay. "I…I…" he tried to come up with a believable scenario for her, but struggled to find a suitable answer. "I was… attacked by… um… Stalfos… and… um…"

"Ok, stop right there," Malon rolled her eyes at him. "Link, you're a terrible liar. First off, Stalfos haven't been seen in that part of Hyrule Field for years now. Plus, I know that you'd be more then able to take down a few Stalfos with ease. So just tell me what really happened. It's fine. We've known each other for years! You can trust me." She gave him a reassuring smile to show that she was sincere, but Link did not return it.

"I... I'm sorry Malon…" he looked away from her, feeling guilty. "But I just can't tell you."

Malon frowned. "Alright fine," she sighed. "But at least do this for me: stay here at the ranch until you fully recover, OK?"

"But Malon," Link began, sitting up straighter in the bed. "I have to leave right away. I… I have to go get something very important."

The farm girl narrowed her eyes at him. "What?" she asked a bit knowingly. "You mean those things marked on that map of yours?"

Link's eyes widened with sudden worry as he began to fear that the secret mission that Veran had sent him on had already been compromised. But the chances of Malon knowing anything about what was going on aside from the map were low, so hopefully, Zelda was still safe. "Maybe…" Link finally answered with ambiguity.

Malon crossed her arms in exasperation. "Well then," she raised an eyebrow at him as she stood up. "You can go in the morning ONLY if you're feeling better."

"But I am feeling better!" the hero protested. And he wasn't lying. He was feeling much better than he had before and his strength had, for the most part returned. He had no idea how much time he had wasted being unconscious, but he remembered that Veran had only given him seven days and, judging from the darkened skies and stars glimmering outside of the window of the room, he had already wasted one of them.

"Sure you are…" Malon said coyly as she leaned on the doorpost of the room. "Just stay put for the night, OK? I don't want to come to your rescue again if you don't."

Link was about to protest once more, but Malon had already left the room and shut the door, leaving him alone in the darkness. Of course, he knew that he had to end up going against Malon's wishes and sneak out of the ranch in the moonlit hours so he could start his search. It filled him with guilt though, especially considering the fact that if it hadn't been for her, he'd be dead at that moment as would Zelda most likely. He didn't want to deceive Malon, who had been a good friend of his for quite a few years, but Link knew that he had to for Zelda's sake. While he had been lying there incapacitated, Zelda remained in that chamber within the Shadow Temple, her life at the mercy of Veran. He thought of Zelda as he stood, sending a dull, but brief ache through his leg, and gathered together his gear that had been left beside the bed. She had most likely awakened from her unconsciousness by now, and was probably wondering where the hero was and what he was doing. Link wondered if Veran was planning on telling Zelda any of that, or if the sorceress was just going to lie to her about it to make her even more worried. Either way, he knew that he had to hurry and return with all four of the mysterious items Veran had forced him to gather with haste. Only six days remained for him to travel to every corner of Hyrule.

Link took great care to be as quiet as possible while he snuck out of the farm house. Luckily the only person that seemed to be in there was Malon's father, Talon, who had a tendency to be a heavy sleeper so the hero didn't have to worry too much about waking him. But what puzzled him was the fact that Malon herself was nowhere to be found. If she caught him, she would certainly scold him and send him back to bed until morning. But there were no signs of her in the farm house, or anywhere else for that matter as Link slipped out into the cool evening air and headed for the horse corral, where as he expected, Epona awaited him. He was lucky that Malon had found both of them, since Epona would make his travels much quicker.

Just as Link thought that the coast was clear and he would be able to make it out of the ranch unseen, a nearby voice spoke through the calm of the night. "You know, Link," Malon sighed as she watched him sadly from her perch on the corral's fence a few feet away. "When I first found you by the village, I thought you were dead. You were soaking wet, freezing cold, and barely breathing. And as for me… well, I was terrified. It took me all day to nurse you back to health and now… you're just going to throw yourself back into danger again, aren't you?"

Link dismounted Epona and walked over to her. "I'm sorry Malon…" he said with sincerity. "But I have to go."

"Why?" Malon stared him down, though her blue eyes were still sad. "It's because of her isn't it?"

"Who?"

"You know who," Malon looked up into the starry skies above wistfully. "While you were out of it, you kept mumbling her name deliriously."

"Oh," Link finally realized who she was talking about. "You mean Princess Zelda, don't you?"

The farm girl sighed and nodded. "You must really like her, huh? To travel across Hyrule looking for whatever it is because of her? I don't know what's going on exactly and I know you won't tell me, but that's fine," Malon shook her head and smiled bitterly as she slipped off the fence post to stand a few feet in front of him. "I know I could never compete with a princess anyway…"

"What do you mean?" Link asked, a guilty knot forming in his stomach.

"What I mean is that I…" she hesitated for a moment as she looked him squarely in the eyes, but then turned away, looking up at the stars once more. "Nothing. It's… nothing…"

"Malon?" he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, but she pulled it away, turning around to face him once more.

"You can go on ahead, Link…" she said quietly, looking down. "Go help her. And, take this…" she pulled out a bottle of fresh Lon Lon Milk from her apron pocket. "It will help with the last little bit of pain. And…" she mustered a weak smile and a little courage and impulsively embraced him, though he wasn't really surprised that she did. "Be careful…"

"I will be…" he said calmly, returning her hug. Of course he had an idea of what Malon was going to tell him, and he felt guilty that he didn't quite feel the same way, but Zelda's very life hung in the balance and that had to come first.

The hug lasted for a few seconds and when neither of them had nothing left to say it disbanded and Link mounted Epona. With a soft smile, he rode away, Malon watching him dejectedly the entire time. And, when he had passed through the exit of the ranch, the farm girl continued to stand there. When he had disappeared from sight, she began to sing in the clear air of the evening. Her almost angelic voice echoed throughout the area, sorrowful and mournful over what she knew she could never have.

* * *

"_An ocean?" Zelda asked, raising an eyebrow at Link. "What's that?"_

"_It's kind of like a lake," he tried to think of a way to explain the concept of an ocean to her the best that he could. "But a lot bigger. You can't see the other shore; the water almost seems to go on forever, to a place that Tatl told me is called the "horizon", where the sky meets the water."_

"_Wow…" Zelda's eyes widened in fascination. "I bet the water there tasted very sweet if there was so much of it!"_

"_Actually," Link corrected her. "It was really salty. I learned that the hard way!"_

_The princess let out a disgusted face and let out a short giggle. "Tell me more about the ocean!" she exclaimed with excitement. "It sounds so cool!"_

"_Ok…" the young hero recalled exact details of the place. "Its shore wasn't really called a shore, it was called a "beach", which was basically a bunch of really soft sand."_

"_So, did they just call the place "Ocean"?"_

"_No, that part of Termina is called Great Bay," Link explained. "But Tatl told me it was an ocean. I had never seen anything like before though, so she got pretty mad when she had to explain it to me."_

_Zelda giggled lightly. "Well I think the ocean sounds beautiful," she said thoughtfully. "I'd love to go there… Well, I'd love to go anywhere actually… But I've never even left Castle Town before. It must be so amazing to travel to all of these different places like you do, Link…" She sighed wistfully and frowned in slight dissatisfaction. "I wish I could see this entire land of Hyrule with my own eyes…"_

_The young hero thought for a moment before responding. And when he came up with a response, his eyes lit up with youthful excitement as he suggested it to her. "Maybe you can..."_

* * *

**So yeah... this chapter was largely fluff (again), but i really wanted to write Malon in this story because she is awesome. And don't worry! she'll appear in later chapters! :D Aside from shipping Zelda and Link, i'm also somewhat fond of shipping Malon and Link as well (if you couldn't tell). So yah, that's basically it! until next time! :D**


	13. Return to the Forest

_Chapter 12_

A bouncy, simply tune echoed through the revered part of the otherwise unruly lost woods: the Sacred Forest Meadow. It was a tune that often filled the air of this mysterious place, guiding the few who actually listened to it to the heart of the meadow, where the one who created the song would sit and play it. The crafter of this song physically appeared to be a young girl, though she had been alive for many years past her appearance. But such was the case with many of the forest children, the Kokiri, who retained their childish forms for their entire lives.

But this certain Kokiri girl was special among her peers. For unlike most of them, she carried a special sensitivity to changes that occurred within the forest. She was able to sense when an outsider was about to enter the forest, and she would often use that sense to warn her fellow Kokiri of intruders so they could hide from those who might seek to harm them. So in a way, this lone girl had taken the place of the forest's now-deceased guardian, the Great Deku Tree, who had passed away more than seven years ago.

Though this sense was quite useful, it was also somewhat of a burden to the young girl. It isolated her from her carefree Kokiri brothers and sisters by giving her a heightened sense of duty. She did not find herself at true ease much anymore, but if she did it would almost always be here within the Sacred Forest Meadow, her place of solitude. In this place where only the trees and the spirits of the forest were her sole companions, the girl would sit on an almost ancient stump and spend her free time playing her bright and airy tune on a simple wooden ocarina. And so this had been her routine for years now, for as long as she could remember.

On this certain clear morning as the sunlight dripped through the fresh spring trees and as birds followed along to the girl's ocarina, nothing seemed out of the ordinary upon first glace. But suddenly, the girl's song ceased to echo through the trees. She lowered her ocarina to her lap and sat perfectly still, her blue eyes wide and her pointed ears perking up. She had almost missed it entirely, but nonetheless, she had caught onto it. For his was a presence she knew well. She had known that he was an outside from the very first moment he entered the forest years ago, yet she had accepted him as one of them in spite of that. But ever since he left the forest on that fated day several years ago, she had not sensed him in the forest that often anymore. In fact, it had been at least over four years since she had seen him with her own eyes last.

And now as she sat within the Sacred Forest Meadow and felt him entering the forest, she knew that she had to see him. Unlike the last several times he had visited the forest, this time he was alone, so far as the girl could tell. She stood, putting her ocarina away and began to leave the meadow, memories of the past and fears of the present rushing through her mind all at once. Things must have almost indefinitely changed for him over the past few years as they had changed for her as well. She was hardly the same carefree child that they had been when both of them were young, despite looking almost exactly the same. All this time she had been harboring a secret fear that by the time they would meet again, things would have changed too much. And now was finally the day that that meeting was destined to take place.

But even in spite of her hidden fears, Saria knew that Link, who had once been her closest friend, had finally returned to the forest.

And… she smiled.

* * *

Many memories entered Link's mind as he entered Kokiri Forest, where the first of the four stone objects was supposed to be, but the most prominent one was of him and Zelda passing through here not too long ago while on their way to Termina. Though it had had only been a few days ago, because of everything that had happened since then, their peaceful trip now seemed like it had been years ago, back when they had both been free.

Though the hero was physically free from Veran's grasp for the moment, he knew that he wasn't truly free. There was no doubt that the dark sorceress was watching him from the shadows, making sure that he was carrying out his mission according to her demands. And as for Zelda… Link knew that she would never be free if he didn't do as Veran said, as much as he didn't want to. He remembered what Malon had said and he realized that she had been right: he must have truly cared about the imprisoned princess to traverse across the entire kingdom on the whim of the very person who had captured them both, in search of something that would no doubt further her dark ends.

Like Link expected it would be, the village tucked away inside of the forest was devoid of its Kokiri inhabitants. But the village that he had once called home was not his destination; rather he was headed for the area just past the village, where the remains of the deceased Great Deku Tree, where Veran had marked the location of the first stone item that he needed to get.

As Link approached the large, ancient form of the dead Deku Tree, he was completely unaware of the lone pair of blue eyes that were watching him from the branches of another nearby tree. The Kokiri girl's green hair and clothing did well to camouflage her within the lush foliage of the tree as she examined him closely. In many ways, Saria thought that he looked the same as he had when he had lived in the forest years ago as a child. She knew that he was an adult now; she had always known that he was bound to grow up, unlike her and the other Kokiri who remained young forever. Saria noted the physical changes that she had expected: he was taller, with a more mature build and facial features. But she smiled softly when she noticed that Link's eyes were still the exact same as they had been years ago, and that he still wore a Kokiri tunic and cap, the only difference now being the white undergarment and leather gauntlets, in addition to a sword and shield differing from the Kokiri Sword and Deku Shield he once carried. But Saria also sensed something else about him as well: a feeling of tension and urgency, as though he was in a hurry. Unable to bottle up her curiosity and nervousness any longer, she finally slid off of the low branch she was sitting on, onto the ground several feet behind him.

When Link heard the sound of shuffling feet behind him, he stopped in his tracks and spun around almost instantly, drawing his sword as he did so as he expected it to be Veran lurking in the shadows behind him. But who was really there caused him to gasp and drop the sword in surprise.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Saria's face. "It's been awhile…" she said calmly, almost morosely even. "Hasn't it, Link?"

For what seemed like the longest time, he simply stood there, staring at his old friend in disbelief, trying to come up with something to say. Link wasn't really surprised that Saria still appeared as a child; he knew well that the Kokiri never grew up. What did surprise him was the fact that she didn't seemed at all surprised about how he had changed over the years. And suddenly, guilt filled Link over how he had not visited her in over four years now, when he could have done so at any time. He wasn't entirely sure why his outings to the forest had become less and less frequent, eventually stopping altogether, but nonetheless, his former childhood home had over time become a distant memory. But only now, when necessity had brought him here, was he able to see the girl who had at one time, been the only person in the world who had truly understood him.

"Saria… I…" Link stammered, unsure of what to say.

The Kokiri girl smiled with understanding, noting the change in his voice as well. "Its fine…" she said, looking him straight in the eyes. "Looks like we've both changed a little since the last time you were here…"

His surprise was suddenly replaced by confusion as he gave her a questioning look. "But Saria, you've hardly changed at all..." he couldn't help but smile a bit though as he said it, remembering back on fond childhood times with her.

Saria sighed and glanced past Link, towards the Great Deku Tree. "I should have told you this a long time ago, but… right after the Great Deku Tree died, right after you left the forest for the first time all those years ago… I think I slowly started gaining the ability to sense changes in the forest. I think it was a sign… a sign that I was act in the Deku Tree's stead as the Kokiris'' protector… It was how I was able to sense that you had entered the forest and… it's also how I'm able to know that you didn't come here just to visit, did you Link?"

Link's eyes widened as she stared at him, her blue-eyed gaze almost burning him in her search for the for the truth. He couldn't lie to her, he had never been able to do that, even when they had both been children. But for Zelda's sake, he couldn't tell her the truth either. So, he simply said nothing as the two of them stared at each other intently, trying to read each other.

"You're not going to tell me what's wrong, are you?" Saria asked after a few minutes of stated silence. "Or why you really came here?"

Link shook his head sadly. "I can't," he said, averting her gaze. "I'm sorry."

The girl said nothing for a few moments. Instead, her eyebrows creased as if in deep thought as her eyes shifted from Link to the Great Deku Tree a few feet behind him and finally to the hero's sword still lying on the ground beside him. And, when she had finally put the pieces of the puzzle together, she gasped in shock.

"You…" Saria's eyes were wide in realization. "You came here… for the…" Suddenly, she stepped closer to him and glanced around, looking to see if any prying ears were listening in. "The Fused Shadow… Didn't you?" she finished in a cautious whisper.

"Fused Shadow?" Link raised an eyebrow at her, having no idea what she was talking about. "What's that?"

"Shh!" she quieted him, looking around the clearing once more. "Someone could hear you! Do you have any idea how many evil forces would love to find them?" She bit her lip nervously, then pressed pass him towards the Tree. "Come on," she beckoned. "Follow me."

Though still confused about what Saria had meant by the "Fused Shadow", Link followed her into the still opened-entry of the Great Deku Tree's inside, hoping to get some answers. Once they were inside the large central chamber of the tree, Saria turned to face him, with a grave look of seriousness on her face.

"Listen Link…" She began in a voice that was still quiet and nervous. "I know now why you came back. I also know that you're not going to tell me why you're looking for the Fused Shadows, but whatever the reason, I know that it must be important and so… I trust you enough to show you where its hiding."

"But Saria…" the hero began as Saria started leading the way through the tree. "What are these Fused Shadows things anyway?"

The Kokiri girl turned around to face him, giving him a curious look. "It's… the reason why you're here, isn't it?" she asked in confusion. "After all, why else would you be going towards the Great Deku Tree? The Kokiri Emerald isn't here anymore, remember? The only treasure left inside of the entire forest is the Fused Shadow, which the Deku Tree hid in here before he died."

It was then that Link realized that this "Fused Shadow" was almost definitely what Veran had commanded him to find. After all, she had marked the exact location of the Deku Tree on the map she had given him. And now that he finally had a name for them, his curiosity was suddenly raised to know more about what they were exactly.

"Saria?" he asked as they went through the depths of the tree at a hurried pace. "Do you know what they're for?"

"Well," she began, not turning to face him. "I don't know why you need them and… well, I'm not entirely sure why they're so important in the first place actually… The Great Deku Tree didn't tell me much about them, but for some reason, he told no one else but me about it before he passed away. All he said was that they had to be protected from evil at all costs, but he didn't say why…" She trailed off, leaving the two of them in a dense silence for quite a while.

During that silence, Link thought about what Saria had said about the Fused Shadows having to be protected from evil. He began to question if gathering them and delivering them to Veran would truly be the best thing for Hyrule as a whole. But Zelda would certainly die if he didn't. The overall outcome of the situation as a whole seemed grim, but Link hoped that if he could at the very least save Zelda from Veran, then hopefully he would have a chance of saving Hyrule again if the need be.

"Hey Link," Saria's voice brought him out of his thoughts as they continued to delve deeper into the tree's core. "Um… I've been wondering… What took you so long to come back anyway?"

Indeed, what _had _taken him so long? The question came so suddenly that it caught Link off guard. Or course he had been somewhat expecting her to ask that sooner or later, but he still didn't have a clear answer for it. Maybe it had been because he had been distracted by different things over the past four years, such as his friendship with the princess. Or, perhaps what was the truthful answer was harder for him to describe. But he was going to try anyway; he wasn't going to leave Saria with any more ambiguity then he already had.

"I… I don't know…" he began, trying to fit his explanation into words that would make sense. "I guess it's because… I thought we were too different. I mean... you're a Kokiri and I'm not… It's like you once said: you always knew that I would leave the forest because I was different from you. I guess I just thought that if I came back…"

"Things would have changed too much?" Saria completed his trailed off thought with a certain sadness in her voice. "I did too. But…" A sudden smile came across her face as the two of them entered the next large, dark chamber. "I guess I shouldn't have been. Do you remember that promise we made years ago? About how, no matter what happened, we would always be friends?"

The hero smiled, for perhaps the first time since tragedy had befallen him and Zelda. "I do," he said.

"I still mean it," Saria turned to face him, still smiling warmly and sincerely.

"So do I…"

Neither one of them was able to say another word however as they were interrupted by an earsplitting noise from above. Link looked up just in time to see the large piece of burning wood falling right at them, and his reflexes took over, allowing him to push Saria out of the way so that both of them could narrowly dodge the flaming bark. But they could do nothing about the fact that the burning wood was spreading its blaze to the rest of the dry wood and foliage in the chamber, quickly catching the area on fire.

"Link!" Saria choked out through the thick smoke that was already filling the room. "The Fused Shadow! It's here in this room! Hurry! At this rate the whole tree will burn down in a matter of minutes!"

He didn't send her a reply because he was already straining to see through the smoke and flames surrounding them for anything that looked like the image that Veran had shown him. It didn't take him long to find the thing either; the Fused Shadow was the only object aside from the two of them that had not caught fire at all. In fact, the fire seemed ominously to circle it, but it never once touched it. Thinking little of it, Link rushed across the room, taking care to avoid falling, burning debris along the way, and unceremoniously collected the cumbersome stone object, hurriedly shoving it away into his gear bag that could hold virtually any amount of items.*

He had finally gotten the first stone object, or Fused Shadow as it were, but there was the much more pressing matter of escaping from the burning tree to worry about at the moment. No longer able to see Saria on the other side of the room through the smoke, Link called out for her, his throat burning from inhaling the fumes of the fire. "Saria!?" he began to panic when she didn't respond right away. "Saria!"

"I'm here!" he barely heard her strained, almost painful response. And it was enough to send him dashing in the direction of the exit of the room, where sure enough, Saria had waited for him. But in the few short minutes that they had been in the burning room, she had inhaled too much smoke for her young body to handle, so much so that she was doubled over on the ground, retching violently, the fast moving flames threatening to close in on her in a very short amount of time. But when she saw Link breaking through the wall of smoke and flames, she forced her weak legs to support her and commanded herself not to breathe in anymore of the foul pollutants. It didn't do any good though; Link could tell just by looking at her that she was not well. Her face was a ghostly shade of white, her clothes were soiled with her own vomit and her bright green hair was littered with ash.

"Saria…" Link stared at her in disbelief, having never seen her in such as poor state.

"I'm fine!" Saria coughed, her voice rough and horse. "Come on!" She began to lead the way once more as they ran out of the fire-filled chamber. Already the blaze had spread throughout the tree, impeding their escape with burning bark, tendrils of unhealthy smoke, and various other obstacles. The smoke was by far the worst of it though, impairing their vision and filling their lungs with its dangerous toxins.

At one point, Link lost sight of the Kokiri girl who was guiding him, and, if it hadn't been for her painful moan, he would have very well tripped over her as she lay on the ground in a crumpled heap, having tripped over a fallen piece of wood.

"Saria!" he cried, kneeling down to help her. Saria's eyes did not open to look at him and her face was twisted into a pained expression. She was only able to answer him with another groan and a small, pitiful cough.

Obviously, she didn't have the strength to take another step through the flame infested labyrinth. And so, knowing that they had little time left to get out of the tree alive, Link quickly scooped her up in his arms and carried her as he ran through the rooms of the tree, working his way up towards the exit of the tree. Of course, the fire bothered him as well; he struggled to breathe and see amidst the smoke and to avoid the bursts of flame that almost seemed to be erupting from everywhere around him. The temperature inside the tree was rapidly growing, as the fire licked at both Link and Saria in his arms, often times singeing pieces of hair and clothing but thankfully never touching their skin.

Though much of the tree's insides were illuminated in bright orange, Link's heart began to race even more when he finally saw the light from the outside pouring in through the tree's entrance. The promise of fresh air was a hopeful one for both him and Saria, who was by now unconscious. He ran towards the entryway as fast as his legs could carry him and the moment he broke free from the fiery tree's insides, he took in the deep breath that he had been holding in for much longer then he was actually able to.

Link didn't really have reason to run anymore now that he was out of the smoke-filled tree but he ran anyway. He ran because he didn't want to watch the Great Deku Tree, the former guardian of the Kokiri who had protected him among them as a child, burn to a pile of ash. He ran because of Saria, lying unmoving and suffering in his arms, who had always stood by him when no one else would. And he ran because of the moon, already hanging high in the sky, signifying that he only had five full days left to save Zelda, who was in grave danger of dying very soon if he did not satisfy Veran, who of course, stood ready to kill both of them at any second she pleased. Five days in which neither one of them would be safe. And five days until the sorceress's dark threats would become an even darker reality.

* * *

_Zelda bit her lip nervously as her and Link peeked around the corner of the courtyard. "Are you sure this is going to work?" she whispered loudly. "What if Impa catches us?"_

"_Shh!" he quieted her, glancing around the corner once more. "Just follow me. This is how I got in here the first time, so I figure that we can get out the same way too."_

"_Ok…" the princess said uneasily, both excited about the prospect of sneaking out of the castle and afraid of the consequences that would come along with being caught. But nonetheless, she followed Link as they finally rounded the corner on all fours, crawling behind him closely as they hid behind a topiary bush in the outlying garden. The steady footsteps of patrolling guards could be heard making their rounds, but thankfully they did not see or hear the two children as they poked their head up above the shrub. Waiting until just the right moment when the two guard's backs were turned, Link and Zelda quickly crawled to the next shrub that would provide them cover on the far side of the first section of the garden. _

_Zelda couldn't help but chuckle to herself because of how mischievous this whole plan was. She had never even attempted something like this before, but she was glad that Link knew the way and had even made this same run once before. If they could just make it past the castle grounds… she'd make it to her first taste of freedom. _

_The next section of the garden had only one lone guard, which the two easily evaded, which was followed by several more sections of the garden with a few more inattentive guards, which with some perfect timing and clever hiding, they managed to get past. _

_Finally rising to stand up once they were out of the range of any guards, Zelda let out a clear laugh. "That was fun!" she whispered, grinning from ear to ear. "They didn't even see us at all! I had no idea it would be this easy!"_

"_If you liked that," Link smiled back at her. "Then you'll love this next part. I hope you don't mind getting a little wet though."_

_Zelda giggled once more. "I don't mind," she said, glancing down at the simple outfit she had chosen to wear on this escapade. "Now come on! Let's go!"_

_The young hero led the way through a small tunnel just large enough for them to crawl through, from which a stream of water was pouring out into the castle's moat outside. As Zelda said, she didn't mind getting her common clothes a little wet for the sake of exploration. _

_The short tunnel led to the outer castle grounds, where the two of them had to evade even more guards, until they had finally cleared them all. The two children were easily able to slip into the bustle of castle town unnoticed, considering Zelda was not known without her royal garments. Of course, just being in castle town without Impa or a party of guards accompanying her was exciting enough for the princess, but what Link was about to show her would amaze her even more._

* * *

**This is so late and so long! I'm not sure why i got so much writers block with this chapter that it took me four days to write, but it did! and I'm sorry. By the way, thanks so much to every one who has been following and reviewing this story and keep em coming! i love feedback! So... until next time!**_  
_


	14. Friendship Through the Fire

_Chapter 13_

Though Link hadn't lived in Kokiri Forest in years, he still remembered the exact layout of the village, including the location of Saria's house, which happened to be right next to his old house. So it was there that he took his ailing Kokiri friend, so that she could recover from her smoke inhalation in safety.

As the hero carried Saria into the house and laid her on her bed, she began to stir, albeit weakly. With a slight cough, her blue eyes fluttered open and trained on Link, who stood by watching her worriedly.

"Link…" she groaned hoarsely, giving him a small smile.

"Hey," he returned her soft smile. "How are you feeling?"

Saria answered with another bout of coughing. A moment later she replied, "A little better…" she said, her strained voice quiet. "Thank you… for helping me… back there, Link… Did you get… what you were… looking for…?" she finished softly, referring to the Fused Shadow.

Link nodded. "I did, thanks to you."

Saria closed her eyes and smiled contentedly. "That's… good…" she said. "Link… you should go… For whatever reason you're looking for them… You should hurry and find the rest… The Great Deku Tree… He once told me that one was up on Death Mountain, inside of Dodongo's Cavern… Don't worry about me… I'll be fine… Once you leave, the other Kokiri will come out of hiding… and help me… Good luck…"

Link hesitated to leave Saria alone in such a poor condition, but he knew that she was right; the Kokiri would take care of her after he was gone. And besides, he had not a moment to lose. He still had to find the other three Fused Shadows and make it back to the Shadow Temple within the next five days. Zelda's life hung in the balance. And so, he simply nodded and turned to leave, but Saria called out to him one last time.

"Wait Link…" she said in a voice as loud as she could without extreme pain and with a gentle and kind smile that Link had been accustomed to ever since he grew up alongside her in the forest. "Before you go… I just want to you know that… I will always be… your friend…"

With those simple words, Saria had unknowingly managed to truly comfort Link since he and Zelda had been captured. Thoughts of younger, simpler days with his longtime friend filled his mind and he smiled, leaving Saria with these parting words on his way out of her house. "Thanks Saria… For everything."

That feeling of ease didn't go away after he left the house. As he walked through the quiet, empty village in the late silver moonlight, he found himself reminiscing on the days before he had even left the forest. Those long-gone days of innocence, where the greatest concerns that Link or Saria had to put up with were simple child matters. But all of that was shattered in what seemed like a brief moment on that fateful day seven years ago when the Great Deku Tree had sent the young boy out into the world, to Hyrule Castle where he met Princess Zelda for the first time. From her, Link had learned of matters that were far more pressing then anything he had ever known during his simple existence in the forest. But even now, that circumstances were even more dire then they had been back then, Link did not regret ever knowing Zelda or leaving the forest. But what he did regret was taking so long to come back and see Saria, who had been his loyal friend when no one else was. And perhaps the only one that he had ever had before he met Zelda.

The hero was so caught up in his memories that he didn't even notice the shadowy figure appear only a few feet behind him as he crossed the bridge between the forest and Hyrule Field. And he didn't discover her wicked presence until she spoke in her icy and malevolent tone.

"Well, well hero…" Veran said coyly, stopping Link in his tracks. "I must say that I'm impressed. Managing to collect one of the things I need _and _escaping from the fire that I set to that tree alive… Maybe I was right about sending you on this little quest after all…"

Link's eyes widened with sudden realization when he heard what Veran had said about the fire. In one fluid movement, he spun around, drawing his sword and gripping it tightly as he faced her. "_What_?" he asked harshly, not ready to settle for anything less than an explanation.

Veran did not smile cruelly as she usually did at such a moment. Instead she crossed her arms and eyed Link's sword disapprovingly. "You dare to draw your blade against me?" she asked accusingly. "Then you really are a fool, boy…"

"What did you say about the fire?!" Link demanded, ignoring her previous statement as he gripped the sword even tighter.

Veran narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before responding. "Oh yes…" she said darkly. "Dear boy, you have not kept your end of our little bargain very well. I almost thought that I would have had to do something when that farm girl discovered the map, but clearly she was too simple to know what they were. But your little Kokiri friend… she knew full well what I had sent you to find. She knew too much in fact. And so, to make sure that my ends would be accomplished to the fullest extent of my demands, I had to take matters into my own hands. But really, you can only blame yourself. After all, you where the one who got her involved…"

Sudden fury filled Link and he let it clearly show. "You… you burnt the Great Deku Tree down!" he shouted, enraged. "And you almost killed me and Saria! You're insane!"

"Insane?" the sorceress scoffed. "Please. I'm not insane. I'm… ambitious… I'm the kind of person who does whatever it takes to get what they want and what I want are those Fused Shadows and the Triforce!" With each word, Veran's red and yellow eyes flashed with violence as her voice grew louder and louder until she was basically shouting. "And I don't care if you, the princess, some insignificant Kokiri or anyone else for that matter gets in my way! I _will _get what I desire! Your lives are of little consequence to me. But hero, if you wish to keep those you care about alive for another day, including Princess Zelda, then I suggest you do as I say from now on!"

Link had missed most of what she had said because by this point, he was so outraged that he couldn't contain it any longer. Veran had issued a personal threat on him, Zelda, Saria and anyone else that he cared about and no longer was he going to stand by and let her get away with such threats. Without thinking, he swiftly swung his sword at her, an attack which Veran saw coming and easily dodged by using her magic to vanish into thin air. No more than a second later, she had materialized behind him and struck him in the back with a blast of blue flame. Before Link could pick himself up from the ground to counter attack, Veran slammed her foot into his back with enough force that her sharp-heeled shoes drew blood. Struggling to free himself from her hold, Link grabbed for his sword but it had fallen out of his reach.

"You don't listen to a word that's said to you, do you hero?" Veran hissed hatefully. "How familiar this is though… This was exactly how I struck the princess down when I first encountered her… It appears that you both are equally as foolish for trying to oppose me. For that little outburst, I think it's only fair that both of you suffer a bit, don't you agree? Now you only have four days to retrieve the other three Fused Shadows. If you can't then, I can guarantee you that both you and your beloved princess will die. Now if you'll excuse me… I must go meet someone in the desert. Farewell hero… and for your own sake and hers, do not fail me…"

Veran's cruel laugh echoed through the bridge's dark tunnel as she disappeared, freeing Link from her hold. The hero slowly rose to his feet and reclaimed his sword, sheathing it and checking over the small cut Veran had left in his back. Still angry over Veran's spiteful threats, he knew that now more than ever, with only four days left, he had to free Zelda from her grasp as soon as possible. And not just Zelda, but all of Hyrule as well. Without question, the Sorceress of Shadow sought to take the land for her own along with the Triforce. After all, Link had watched Hyrule fall into darkness once, seven years ago when Ganondorf had taken over and though he was able to stop the Gerudo king in the end, he wasn't about to let the kingdom succumb to evil once again.

* * *

_Once they had pushed their way through the crowds and into the calmer section of town near the drawbridge, Link turned to Zelda with a huge smile on his face. "Close your eyes," he said. _

"_Um… Ok…" she raised an eyebrow in curiosity but did so nonetheless. He took her by the and carefully lead her forward, across the bridge._

"_Ok…" she heard him say after a few moments. "Open them."_

_Tentatively, Zelda opened her eyes and gasped in awe and wonder at her first glimpse of the enormous expanse of Hyrule Field that lay before her. Bright rays of mid-morning sunshine flooded the fresh, green grassy plains that rolled for miles. The hills in the distance prevented her from seeing the full lay of the seemingly borderless field. The smooth breeze that blew down from the wide open blue skies carried a feeling of freedom that Zelda had never experienced before on it, and one that in the few short seconds that her eyes had beheld it, she knew that it was a feeling that she always wanted to have. _

"_Wow…" the young princess said after a few minutes of stunned silence. "All these years… and I never knew that my own kingdom was so big! Thank you so much, Link!" Elated, Zelda embraced the young hero without warning, causing him to blush slightly._

"_Well…" he began to stammer, but suddenly remembered what he was originally going to say. "You haven't even seen most of it! Wait just a minute..." Taking out the Ocarina of Time, Link quickly played a bright, calming tune that echoed across the lofty field. A few moments later, a brown foal raced over the hills towards the two of them. The small horse slowed down as it approached Link, and she nuzzled the boy happily in response to the song that he had played. _

"_Zelda, this is Epona," Link introduced the horse as Zelda patted her nose. Epona neighed contentedly as the princess scratched her ear, causing Zelda to giggle brightly. _

"_Aw… She's so cute!" Zelda said as she watched Link mount the foal. _

"_Come on!" he smiled at her, holding out a hand to help her mount the horse behind him._

_The princess hesitated for a moment. "But Link…" she said somewhat sheepishly. "I've never even been on a horse before! Is it safe?"_

"_Of course she is," Link said, still extending his hand to her. "I promise."_

_Zelda grinned. "Well, if you say so… then I'll take your word for it." She took his hand and positioned herself on Epona's back behind Link. With a gentle kick to the sides, Epona took off, barreling across the field with Zelda holding onto Link tightly and squealing with both fear and delight. _

_For the rest of the afternoon, the two children simply explored Hyrule Field and all its splendor. And at the end of their "adventure", it would be a day that neither one of them would ever forget._

* * *

**Ok, here goes... SORRY! I know that this is coming weeks later then i had planned, but it took me forever to figure out how i wanted to start this chapter! Anyway... I'll promise to try and update more regularly if you guys start leaving more reviews! i love feedback! so, until next time! :D**


	15. At the Hands of Her Hero

_Chapter 14_

The sound of hundreds screaming in agony in the distance and the faint scent of vile smoke where the things that greeted Zelda before she opened her eyes. And when she did, she found herself standing completely alone in the middle of Hyrule Field, the sky above her painted a dark and wicked shade of crimson, no sun, starts, or moon in sight. In the distance, Hyrule Castle and Castle Town were burning. Violent orange flames gave them a frightful glow against the horrid backdrop and tendrils of thick smoke clouded further clouded the skies above. The moment Zelda realized that they were ablaze she let out a scream of terror, knowing that without a doubt, countless innocents were dying in the rampaging flames.

From her spot in Hyrule Field, the bitter smoke managed to flow even in her direction, clouding her already teary vision and making her breathing rough. Suddenly, she vaguely heard footsteps approaching her from behind. With a quick gasp of fear, she spun around to find Link standing a few feet behind her, and instantly she felt relieved.

"Oh Link…" the princess sobbed, turning away from her burning home. "The castle… how did… when…?" She didn't really have to ask who, considering she had already theorized that this was somehow Veran's doing, even though the sorceress was nowhere in sight.

Wiping another stray tear from her eyes, Zelda looked to the hero for an answer but he gave none. In fact, he wasn't even looking at Zelda, or even at the flames in the distance. Instead, he seemed to be staring off into the distance, not really fixating his gaze on anything, his features cold and emotionless, as if he was in some sort of trance. Upon seeing his state, any shred of relief that Zelda had felt before vanished, replacing it with sudden fear and dread.

"Link…?" Zelda whispered as she began to tremble. She stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, which was as cold as ice. Link didn't so much as glance her direction. "Link! What's wrong with you?! Snap out of it! It's me! It's Zelda! Please! Hear me!" With each passing second, the desperation in her voice grew until it rose to a distraught shout. Suddenly, a wicked and familiar laugh resounded across the field, rising over the sounds of suffering coming from the town. Zelda looked past Link with wide eyes to see Veran herself standing a few feet behind him with a triumphant smirk on her face. Instantly upon seeing her, the princess froze up with fear. "What… what did you do to him…?" Zelda asked shakily a moment or two later.

For once, Veran didn't speak at all. Instead she kept her evil smile and simply raised her hand. Zelda was expecting her to attack either her or Link, but she didn't even try. Instead, her outstretched hand began to glow a dark shade of violet. Zelda watched in carefully, trying to see what its purpose was, when she finally noticed Link moving. With a slight gasp of surprise, she watched him move his left arm slowly towards the hilt of the sword strapped to his back. She took in a deep breath and smiled with slight relief, realizing that, even though his expression had not changed and he had not uttered a word, he was going to defend them from Veran. With a more confident smile, Zelda glanced towards the sorceress once more, who simply laughed again and shook her head, her hateful grin deepening. Suddenly confused, Zelda watched tentatively as Link grasped the hilt of the sword and in one swift movement, drew it.

With a sharp gasp, the princess backed away from him as she noticed that the blade he now yielded was one that she had never seen him use before. It was a large, long sword that seemed to be glowing with a strange light. But what fascinated Zelda the most about it was that its metal was twisted into the shape of a double-helix, with a sharp-pointed tip. She stared at it for a second uneasily, before noticing the wall of flames that had crept up around them, trapping them on all sides. Adrenaline began to run through Zelda as she looked towards Link once more, who was simply standing there unmoving as before.

For the next few minutes, time seemed to stand still as no one said a word or moved a muscle. Tension rose with each passing second as Zelda wondered who would make the first move against the other: Link or Veran. But what happened next, she could have never seen coming. Veran was the first to move, her wicked eyes darkening even more as she clenched her still glowing fist. Then, Link clenched the hilt of the double-helix sword with both hands and slowly began to move towards Zelda. The confused princess stared at him in confusion and worry as her mind raced. _What is he doing? _She thought, her heart suddenly pounding. _Why isn't he attacking Veran? It's almost as if he's going to…_

Zelda gasped in shock at her sudden and awful realization. "Link!" She cried, backing away from him. "Stop! It's me, Zelda!"

Veran's cold laugh began to echo across the field. It was then that Zelda finally figured out what was going on, though it was far too late. The sorceress was somehow using her dark magic to control him and was commanding him to attack her. She had robbed him of his free will. And Zelda knew that she had to get to him somehow, before it was too late.

"Link!" Zelda screamed in desperation, tears pouring from her eyes. "Please don't! Veran's controlling you! You would never attack me! You know that and so do I! Please listen to me!"

Zelda soon found herself with her back mere inches away from the wall of fire, with Link stopping about two feet away from her. The princess watched with terror as her hero raised the sword high above his head, still not looking her in the eyes at all. She was trapped, with no way out, about to die at the hands of her closest companion. The thought drove her to near insanity as she collapsed to her knees and raised a hand weakly over her face in preparation for the impending and unstoppable attack.

"Link…" she sobbed pitifully, drowning in the black smoke around her as she tried to appeal to him one last time, but with no avail. "Please… I… I love you…"

Zelda knew that there was no chance that he had heard her. There was nothing more that she could do. And so, she simply closed her eyes and took in a final deep breath. She vaguely heard the sound of the blade coming down at her, and the second it met with her skull she screamed in unending physical and emotional agony.

* * *

Zelda screamed as she jolted awake. Her heart was pounding faster than it ever had before and her breathing was uncontrollable. Though her eyes were open, she couldn't see anything for at least several minutes due the large amount of tears flowing freely from her eyes. She was dead. There was no way she could be alive. Worst of all, he had killed her, a thought that was unbearable to her.

After several minutes, Zelda finally relaxed as she felt the chains binding her wrists once again. Her vision clearing, she realized that she was back in reality, still chained to the wall of the chamber. Not dead, but still not free. What had just occurred had only happened within the realms of her dreams, or nightmares rather, but the entire scenario that they seemed to imply frightened her almost to her breaking point nonetheless.

First off was the horrifying image of Hyrule Castle burning to the ground, which would be no doubt forever burned into her memory. But then there was the even more wretched latter half of her nightmare, and everything that it suggested. Until now, meeting her end at Link's hands was something that Zelda would have never been able to fathom even in her wildest dreams. She trusted him completely, and knew that he would never hurt her. At least not on his own will. Even her nightmare seemed to suggest that he hadn't been in control of his actions at all, but rather it was Veran commanding him to attack her somehow. And at the moment, Zelda didn't even care how Veran had managed to do that. No, what scared her above everything else was the fact that she knew this was more than a mere nightmare. It was vision. She could tell from how everything had seemed utterly too real within it. And considering how her most recent vision had indeed come to pass, Zelda knew that these unbearable events were eventually going to come to pass in one way or another. There was no way of stopping what fate had predetermined. This was a fact that Zelda knew all too well.

"Oh Nayru, please…" she closed her eyes and quietly prayed to the goddess of wisdom fearfully and reverently. "Let this dark premonition not come to pass. Change the course of the hand of fate and let this be nothing more than a nightmare. And… if I have truly foreseen my own death… then let it be in any other way then the one that I have seen. Please… let it not be at the hands of…" she hesitated for a moment, looking up at the chamber's ceiling before letting out a long sigh. "Of my beloved hero…" She found herself smiling as the words left her mouth and she didn't even question why. For once, she wasn't at all nervous about saying her true feelings aloud. After all, hadn't she already done that exact thing at the height of her premonition? How strange it was though, admitting that she loved Link especially after what she had just seen.

She looked down, smiling and shaking her head. "I must be crazy…" she muttered incredulously to herself as she silently debated whether or not she should tell Link anything about it at all. With a deep breath, she finally glanced towards the wall adjacent to where she was hanging, where the hero hung. Or rather, where he _had _hung.

With a sharp gasp of surprise, Zelda's eyes widened with sudden panic as she finally realized that Link was gone. He wasn't anywhere in the chamber at all, and neither was Veran. The only one there was Zelda herself, whose mind was thrown into a frenzy at this realization. Trying to calm down, the princess thought back to what had happened before her nightmare. She vaguely remembered Veran knocking her unconscious but that was about it. How long had she been out anyway? In whatever amount of time she had been unconscious, what could Veran have done to the hero? The numerous possibilities that entered Zelda's mind began to panic her once again. For all Zelda knew, Link could be dead at the moment. _No wait… _Zelda thought, closing her eyes and taking in a shaky breath. _If Veran killed him, then she wouldn't be able to get the Triforce…_

Even so, Zelda was still worried. From what she had seen, Veran was a dangerous and mysterious foe. There was no telling what could have happened to Link and Zelda's burning curiosity and fear grew with each passing second as she hung, completely alone in the cold, still chamber.

"Well, look who finally woke up…" Veran's voice called out from nowhere, for once with no menacing laughter preceding it. A moment later, the sorceress appeared in the center of the room in her usual fashion. "I must admit princess, that if I hadn't had to go on a little errand, then you would have been out of it for more than just this little two day spell…"

Unable to contain her most pressing question any longer, Zelda glared at Veran and asked it almost immediately. "Where is Link?"

Veran sighed in exasperation and rolled her eyes. "And that's exactly why I had intended to keep you unconscious…" she frowned broadly. "So you wouldn't harass me with stupid questions."

"Where is he?" Zelda repeated the question a bit more firmly, still glaring hatefully at the sorceress.

Veran returned her harsh glare with an even crueler one, but then turned away from her altogether to face the wall that Link had once been chained to. "If you must know…" she said cryptically. "He escaped. Your resourceful little hero managed to pick the locks and get out of here, all while you were sleeping. Where he is now, it's hard to say. I suppose he's fled the country, and is long gone by now. But either way, he left without even giving you a second thought, princess. Shows how much he truly cares for you, doesn't it?"

Zelda wasn't about to believe such nonsense for a second. "You're lying," she said with complete confidence. "Link would never do something like that. He wouldn't flee from danger like you, but instead he would face it head on. So, where is he really?"

Veran simply laughed and shook her head. "There's no fooling you, is there, princess?" she said, finally turning to face Zelda once more. "Though I'd expect nothing less from the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom… So tell me, if you're so 'wise' then where do you think he is?"

Zelda took in a deep breath of frustration, tired of playing these games. "You did something to him…" she answered after a few moments of thought. "I don't know what exactly, or what you hope to accomplish, but whatever you did, you couldn't have killed him. If you did, then you will never get the Triforce that you want so badly."

"Well of course I know that," Veran scowled. "And you know that, but _he _doesn't know that…"

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked, fear creeping into her once more.

The Sorceress of Shadow chuckled once more. "What I mean," she began. "Is that your foolish hero thinks that at any moment, I can kill either one of you and I can still get my hands on the Triforce. And so, I made a little deal with him. In exchange for your safety, he would go collect some things for me scattered across Hyrule. His blind loyalty to you princess has severed me well…"

"What did you send him to find?" Zelda asked uneasily, not liking the sound of the situation at all. Clearly, Veran had tricked Link into doing her bidding, whatever it was, under the false impression that the princess would not be harmed. And Zelda hated Veran for such a cruel manipulation.

"That's none of your concern at the moment…" Veran said ambiguously. "But you don't need to worry. I'm almost certain that he'll return within the next four days…" Veran laughed cruelly once more. "But in the meantime, don't fret… I've brought someone else to keep you company…"

With a quick snap of her fingers, Veran made another unconscious figure appeared in the previously unoccupied chains that were on the wall to Zelda's left. And when the princess saw who they were, she gasped in disbelief. Zelda knew well who this person was; she had seen him many times as a child, back in the days when he had falsely sworn loyalty to her father. And even back then, she knew that he was a wicked man. But when she had started to receive haunting visions in her sleep about dark clouds covering Hyrule, her suspicions grew to the point that she had no doubt in her mind that this very man had intended to conquer the kingdom. And if it hadn't been for her and Link stopping him before he could get that chance, he would have very well succeeded in his dark ambitions.

"Ganondorf…" she muttered with contempt.

Yet now, seven years later, as Zelda, now an adult looked up this same man who had been so close to destroying Hyrule, she only barely recognized him. Largely, the former Gerudo king's features were still the same, only he was slightly less muscular and much more gaunt then she remembered him looking, most likely a result of the years of imprisonment that he has received in the desert prison. Aside from his weaker pallor, Zelda noticed something even more ominous about him: the large, freshly bleeding cut across his chest, almost without question given to him by Veran. How did the sorceress even manage to capture him anyway? For the past seven years he had been locked away in the highly impregnable desert prison, which few make it in or out of alive. And even if Veran had managed to sneak her way in there, how did she take him down considering Ganondorf used to be known to have formidable powers in sorcery? Yet sure enough the large cut was enough to prove that there had been a struggle in some way. After staring at it for a few moments in stunned silence, the princess finally turned to Veran once more, who was simply standing there grinning smugly, assured of her victory.

"He wasn't that hard to take care of really," she said, answering Zelda's unasked question. "Though I suppose I should commend him for putting up more of a fight then you or your hero did." She chuckled wickedly. "It won't be long now… Once your beloved hero returns with what I asked him to get and that Triforce of Courage of his, then I'll have everything I need to take the Triforce for my own…" Veran laughed triumphantly as she vanished into thin air once more, with the upmost confidence that there was no stopping her. And from what Zelda could see, there really was no hope of even trying to. After all, she had been able to subdue all three of them, just as she had proclaimed that she would in Zelda's first vision.

At the moment, so many different things bothered Zelda that it was hard to list them all. First off was Veran's success in defeating Ganondorf, which told her that the sorceress held dark powers that should not be taken lightly. Not to mention the fact that she had Link out running some errand to find who knows what. Zelda had no way to know for sure, but whatever she had asked him to get was probably further her dark ambitions. Zelda wondered if Link knew this as she wondered where he was in the first place. From what Veran had said, he could be basically anywhere in Hyrule at the moment, but at the very least, Zelda had a vague idea that he would be back within four days. Though she wasn't sure if coming back would be the best thing for him or not.

She despised Veran for manipulating Link's feelings in such a way. Zelda knew well that he would do anything to protect her; it was a fault of his. Veran had noticed this, and had taken advantage of it, and Zelda couldn't stand such spiteful trickery. Of course she hated Veran for the obvious reason of taking them both captive and threatening her kingdom, but this new development made her loath her even more.

But what bothered Zelda the most was her unthinkable vision, still lingering in the back of her mind. She knew that once Veran would get her hands on the Triforce, she wouldn't have to keep any of them alive anymore. She could kill them in any twisted way she desired and Zelda knew that such a torturous method would satisfy Veran's blood lust when it would come to murdering the princess. Using Link to kill Zelda would be the cruelest, most tragic, evil way that Veran could bring about the princess's death and she was certain that the sorceress already had the whole thing planned out. And then, Zelda theorized, Veran would give the hero his free will back if only for a moment, to let him see that the princess's blood was on his hands, and then, as he would grieve, she would finish him off herself.

Zelda tried to push such dark thoughts away, but she simply couldn't. It was the most terrifying thing that she had ever thought of. It was something that she prayed once again, this time silently, to Nayru and her sisters to never let it happen, though she wasn't sure if she would receive an answer. It was something that she wouldn't be able to tell him when and if he returned. And, it was something that she didn't want to believe, but knew that it was to come true: her own death at the hands of her childhood friend, whom she trusted… and loved more than anyone else.

* * *

_It had been a week since Link first led Zelda out of the castle and every day since, the two children were able to sneak out and go off on some new a__dventure across Hyrule. They had visited the calm and laid back Kakariko Village, followed the flowing Zora River along its course in its entirety, and looked down into the dizzying depths of Gerudo Valley. And this bright afternoon had found them wandering in the shallows of Lake Hylia._

_Zelda smiled as the refreshing, crystal clear waters licked at her bare feet. Never in all her life of royal comfort had she been able to witness such beauty and majesty that her own kingdom had displayed to her in the past week. And she had Link to thank for helping her to finally see it all with her own two eyes. _

_As she looked down into the shallow water for shells or anything else of interest, she suddenly received a large splash of water to her face, which was followed by Link's laughter. Wiping the water from her face, she glanced suspiciously at him, and the young hero simply smiled casually. _

_Without a word, Zelda quickly reached her hand down into the water and gave him a splash in retaliation. And so, without any warning, a splashing war had begun. The cheerful chuckling of the two children could be heard throughout the mostly empty area as they got each other completely soaked with their childish game. Wrapped up in blissful, youthful innocence, they played long into the afternoon, smiling and laughing the entire time._

**Good grief this is long... sorry about that, but there was so much i wanted to put in here! I figured that we might as well see what Zelda had been up to during the past few chapters, but i had not intended this to be the entire focus of the chapter, so, sorry... anyway, this chapter was a bit dark, don't you think? but surprisingly it was quite fun to write... i guess that makes me sadistic or something... -_- anyway, that's all for now! until next time!**


	16. A Sheikah's Suspicion

_Chapter 15_

The orange glow of the setting sun blanketed Hyrule Field, signifying the end of yet another day. As Link rode on Epona across this sweeping landscape, away from Death Mountain and in the direction of Lake Hylia, he was overtaken by sudden longing as he watched its descent. How long had it been since he and Zelda had sat on these very same hills to stare at this very same sight? How many days had passed since the two stood on the peaceful sandy shores of Termina's ocean, enveloped in the dying sun's benevolent golden glow? How many moons had gone by since they had stood side by side in blissful freedom looked up into the large silver orb of the night with their hands intertwined, knowing nothing of the nightmares that plagued their existence now?

"_Link…"_ she had said on their final night of peace. "_Out of anyone I could be here with, I'm so glad that I'm here with you…"_

Would they ever know such simple days again? Or would Veran's dark designs enshroud all they knew and loved in perpetual fear and dread? Such thoughts began to frustrate Link as he brought Epona to a full gallop across the fields. Three full days left. Yet this now-fading day had not gone in vain. Wasting no more time then he already had, he had arrived at Death Mountain by noon and had retrieved the second Fused Shadow long before sunset. The hero had been lucky that there had been nothing to impede the second leg of his quest; the second Fused Shadow's hiding place was within the Dodongo's Cavern, a place that Link had visited before as a child and so he knew its layout well enough to find the relic with ease. The place was long-empty of monsters and the Gorons that mined their rocks from the place were not about on this particular day, leaving the hero with no distractions. With two out of four Fused Shadows out of the way, he silently departed from the mountain and was now swiftly on his way to Lake Hylia in hopes of arriving there by sunrise the next morning. For it where the third relic was shown to be on the map, resting within the Water Temple buried beneath its shimmering depths.

He was half-way done with Veran's "errand". Three days and two Fused Shadows away from seeing Zelda again; from helping her. But at what cost? Veran had made it clear during their encounter on the bridge that her lust for both the Triforce and the Fused Shadows was strong. At that moment, Link had no doubt in his mind that Veran intended to use whatever power the stone relics possibly held for a wicked purpose. But to what extent? Were the Fused Shadows going to be just a stepping stone in helping Veran achieve her ultimate goal of gaining the Triforce? And if that was the case, then why had she sent Link to gather them instead of going to get them on her own? Clearly she would have been capable of getting her hands on them in a much shorter amount of time then the allotted time that she had given him. Link knew well that Veran was using him, but how would doing that necessarily get her whims accomplished in an efficient manner? Growing ever more burdened with these tiresome concerns, the hero let out a long sigh as he passed by the darkened ivory towers of Hyrule Castle Town afar in the distance, the moon just starting to loom in the skies over head.

As Link watched the town's sturdy drawbridge being raised for the night, he sent silent apologies out to the people who lived within its walls. They had been without their princess for too long and it was all his fault. Though their initial three day trip to Termina would have gone relatively unnoticed by the townsfolk, by now Zelda had been absent from her people for at least a week. Rumors circulated within the bustling city fast and by now, the hero figured that the people must have had a general knowledge that something was amiss. Link wished that he could explain the princess' disappearance to the confused denizens of the town and warn them of Veran's coming evil that was no doubt soon to befall them, but to even try would be to forfeit Zelda's life.

However as the hero cast a long look at the peaceful town, he failed to notice a figure swiftly and silently approaching his direction in the growing darkness of the night. But what Link didn't notice, Epona did the moment the figure leapt in front of the horse, bringing her quick gallop to a startled and sudden halt. The mare, frightened by the figure who had vanished as quickly as they had appeared, let out a high pitched neigh and reared onto her high legs the moment her feet skidded to a stop. Link had no time to react to his Epona's uncalled for fright, and due to his loose grip on her reigns, he fell backwards off her back and onto the ground below as Epona continued to speed forward off into the hills, still shaken out of her wits.

Though the fall hadn't knocked him unconscious, Link was still disoriented and dizzy from it. It had knocked the wind out of him as he had fallen onto his back hard and he struggled to regain his bearings. But he had almost no time to recover from it, for already the shadowy figure was upon him. Shrouded out of sight in the nighttime darkness, the mysterious persona grabbed both of the hero's wrists in a firm grip and used their hold on him to roll him onto his front, holding his hands behind his back strongly as the person stripped him of his sword and shield and tossed them and planted a strong foot on his back to securely pin him to the ground.

Link was surprised at the strength of this person, whoever they were. His thoughts immediately accused Veran of launching yet another surprise attack on him, but the Sorceress of Shadows would have appeared with much more pomp and circumstance than his current attacker. Just as Link was about to glance behind him to see who had assailed him, he was met with the cold , sharp and serrated side of a knife barely touching the back of his throat, advising him not to make any sudden movement.

"Where is she?!" I harsh, yet feminine and familiar voice barked at him. "Where?!"

Link struggled regain full focus, still slightly disoriented from the fall. He had heard this person's voice before, but he knew that they were not Veran.

"Where!?" the voice shouted, almost in desperation.

"Who?" the hero asked, unable to turn his head, or move anything else for that matter, much at all.

"You know who!" the figure hissed. "The princess! You promised that you would return her safely within three days of your departure but it's been seven! Where is she, boy?"

It was at that moment that Link finally placed this name to a face, and if he didn't have to turn his head to see her face to know that she was angry. After all both Zelda and him had faced her burning, overprotective wrath before. "Impa?" he asked, hoping that the Sheikah guardian would let him go at this recognition.

Impa's grip around his wrists only tightened however as the burning scowl her red eyes held deepened. "Answer my question already!" she said with a ferocity that Link had never heard her use before. "Where is Princess Zelda?!"

Of course, Link knew that no matter how much he wanted to answer Impa's rage-filled question, there was no way that he could. And what's worse was that he couldn't give a reason why, for that too, would end with the princess' demise. And so, to try and escape from the Sheikah's strong hold, he dodged the question. "What's with the harsh reception, Impa?" he asked as innocently and as charmingly as he could despite the blade at his throat.

Impa narrowed her eyes at him for a moment as she remained silent. Rage flowed through her but she gradually moved the knife away from his neck, though she did not stealth it. "Rumors have flooded Castle Town…" she sighed bitterly a moment later as she looked towards the resting metropolis. "Many of them center around the idea that the princess has ran away with an unknown lover…" Impa's voice trailed off as Link's mind wrapped around the word 'lover' and how the townsfolk's tall tales implied that to be him. The thought made him both perplexed and nervous, while at the same time causing his heart to skip a beat. "But I know that such rumors are only nonsense…" Impa concluded but a second later. "However, either way, a cloud of anxiety hangs over the people. They know that their ruler has gone missing. And so do I. When she left, she had been solely in your company, which means you were the last one to see her. When I caught sight of you riding across these fields, I had at first thought that she was with you, but now I see that she clearly is not. It was then that I noticed the feverish pace at which you were riding, almost as if you were on the run from something. The only way I could catch you to get answers was using the methods that I did, no matter how abrupt and rough they were."

"An 'I'm sorry' would have worked just as well," the hero said, almost smirking though not trying to appear as openly defiant.

Impa growled in frustration and annoyance. "Stop avoiding the question," she said, though her tone was significantly softer than it had been. "Tell me where Zelda is."

Link sighed and bit his lip. Time was of the essence and he needed to get going to Lake Hylia as soon as possible. "I don't know," he lied, immediately feeling guilty because of it. After all, Impa was only trying to find the lost princess and her desperation was very much justified.

"You're lying!" Impa growled, seeing through his ruse. "Just tell me where she is, Link. Is she in trouble? If you tell me, I can help, I promise…"

Link could hear both the desperation and pleading in the Sheikah's tone. It was Impa's job to protect Zelda at all costs, but it was also a duty that the hero had taken upon himself as well. And it was for that exact reason that he simply couldn't disclose her whereabouts to Impa.

"I can't tell you," he said hesitantly. "I'm sorry."

Impa's eyes widened with slight shock, but she finally released her hold on the hero's hands. "Why not?" she asked.

The hero remained silent as he finally turned his head to look at the Sheikah guardian. He knew well that Impa had a knack for reading people's facial expressions and so he made one that would be easy for her to read that would also tell her everything that he could without words. Impa studied his expression closely for a moment or two with her scarlet eyes and her insight served her well. She could clearly see the dread, frustration, anguish, and sorrow in his blue eyes. And as she noticed them, she finally removed her foot that was pinning him to the ground. She stepped back and let Link rise to his feet once again before glancing around tentatively and placing a slightly consoling hand on his shoulder.

"Listen," Impa whispered so that she was barely audible. "Come with me. I know a place that their eyes and ears will not be able to follow us. Don't breathe a word until we get there."

Link immediately nodded, trusting the wise Sheikah woman's counsel. He watched as she drew out a Deku Nut and with a swift movement tossed it to the ground, blinding the hero with its flash.

When he regained his vision, Hyrule Field's night skies had vanished, being replaced with exceedingly bright white lights on all sides that seemed to be coming from nowhere. He was now standing within a room that held nothing in it at all, save for the torch of glowing white fire that seemed to be supplying the impenetrable light. In fact, the light was so strong that Link was almost certain that there were absolutely no shadows in this room and immediately the though set him to ease. A place with no shadows was a place that Veran could not be hiding. He would be safe to tell Impa everything here.

Directly in front of him stood Impa, her arms crossed and her brows furrowed in perplexity. She did not hesitate to speak as soon as she noticed that the hero had gathered his bearings. "In case you're wondering, we're within a special chamber deep underneath Hyrule Castle. The light in this room will never die out and no shadows may enter it. But I can only keep us here for so long, so time is of the essence. So tell me, who are they?" was surprisingly the first question that she asked him, as opposed to the princess' whereabouts.

Link took in a deep breath. "She called herself Veran," he began. "The Sorceress of Shadow. She attacked the princess and me while we were on our way back from Termina."

"Veran?!" Impa exclaimed, her red eyes glowing in animosity. "This is worse then I thought…"

"You know her?"

Impa looked down in anger. "I will get to that in a moment," the Sheikah said, her tone even despite her worry. "But first, tell me how the princess fares."

"She's alive," Link said, almost certain that Veran had not killed her yet. "Veran has her locked away within the Shadow Temple I think."

Impa's eyes widened at this new. "The Shadow Temple…" she mused. "I thought I had sensed a disturbance there. Since I am of the Sheikah tribe, it is my duty to protect that temple. A few days ago, I had felt a strange presence enter it, but I had to focus on my duty of finding Princess Zelda first." The Sheikah's fists curled into balls of angered frustration. "What does Veran want?" she asked next.

"The Triforce," the hero answered without hesitation, but didn't care to dwell on the subject at the moment. "But Impa, how do you know Veran?"

Impa sighed tiredly. "I wish I could answer that for you now, Link…" she said bitterly. "But we're running out of time in this place as it is. Before we leave, I have one final question for you. You're working to rescue the princess, aren't you?"

"Yes," Link said without hesitation. "And I promise that I will."

Impa did not smile to this proclamation. "What have I told you before? Do not make promises that you are not absolutely certain you will be able to keep," she said bluntly.

Link was confused by what she meant. Did Impa doubt that he could save Zelda? If that was so, then why? Was it because he had failed to protect her in the Lost Woods when Veran first assailed them? "But, Impa-" the hero began to protest, but he was quickly cut off by the light all around him growing until he was blinded once again.

"Enough!" Impa's voice called out amidst the shower of light. "Go to Princess Zelda's aid. And do not fail her!"

When Link could see again, the bright light of the chamber was gone, replaced with the nighttime darkness of Hyrule Field once again. Epona meandered nearby, no longer spooked as she had been before. Impa was nowhere in sight.

As the young hero mounted his horse once again to set his course for Lake Hylia anew, he breathed a sigh of relief. It felt good to finally tell someone about the disastrous events of the past few days, even though Impa's reception of them was less then consoling.

Yet Impa's lack of confidence in him was rather unsettling. Why didn't she trust that he could save Zelda? It was something that he had done before and he would stop at nothing to do it again this time. At the same time, Link knew that he didn't really have need for Impa's confidence. He would protect Princess Zelda no matter what. He had made that promised to her and it was one that he knew he _had _to keep.

"_Go to Princess Zelda's aid. And do not fail her!" _Impa's words echoed in his mind as he rode in the place moonlight and he caught himself smiling slightly. Somehow, the Sheikah's gruff command had given him new hope in this quest, knowing that with every step, he was getting closer to Zelda and her safety.

"I wouldn't dream of failing her…" the hero proclaimed to himself as he rode to the southwest beneath the canopy of twinkling stars.

* * *

Impa sighed and shook her head as she watched from the shadows near the drawbridge as Link rode off. In truth, she had no doubt that he would be able to help the princess, but she feared for both of their chances against a villain such as Veran. The Sheikah woman had only ever seen the Sorceress of Shadow once, when she was much younger, but it had been an encounter that had shown her just how much destruction the wicked woman could bring about. If Veran were to truly get the full Triforce in her grasp… Impa shuddered to think about what could happen to the land of Hyrule. Of what could happen to the _princess _of Hyrule…

Suddenly, the Sheikah guardian sensed a dark presence looming over the field. Without a moment's hesitation, Impa drew her small knife out once again and glanced over the landscape with narrowed eyes.

"Where are you…?" she tensely muttered under her breath as she sensed the somewhat familiar cascade of darkness.

"My, my, Impa…" the sorceress' voice said in little less than a whisper from behind her. "What ages have passed since we've seen each other last…?"

"Veran…" Impa hissed as she swiftly turned to face the evil woman with her blade still tight in her grasp. "Release the princess. _Now._"

Veran did not give a wicked grin, but a displeased frown. "Let me guess…" she placed her hands on her hips. "The boy told you everything? I'm not surprised. He just doesn't know how to keep these things to himself, I suppose… Not that it matters much though… Neither he nor you will be able to impede my path once I get what I'm after…"

"How did you even get back into this land?" Impa glared at her. "The goddesses sealed your kind away long ago and even when you found a way back here, you were imprisoned for your crimes against your own people. Why have you come back?"

Veran narrowed her red and yellow eyes and clenched her fists in controlled fury. "My people were unfairly punished by your goddesses…" she growled in contempt. "But they were fools as well. They resigned themselves to a useless existence within the realm we were banished to. I had sought to help them out of their ignorance and take vengeance on this land, but they denied honoring me as their leader and so I rightfully punished them for such foolishness… But when I heard legends passed down by my people of a dark relic that they had used before our banishment to try and obtain the golden power with… I couldn't resist the urge to return to this land and claim what should have been rightfully ours in the first place for myself. Princess Zelda being one of the holders of the three just happens to be an unfortunate circumstance I suppose…"

Impa's eyes widened with rage upon hearing Zelda's name. "You will _not _harm her!" she almost shouted, but restrained herself. "She has done nothing wrong and neither has Link. Let them go."

"Why should I?" Veran spat. "If I do that, then I'll never obtain the Triforce. It's not my fault that the goddesses decided to impart the essences of Wisdom and Courage into the hands of two weak, simple children! But I have to say, that despite them being so young, that strong bond of theirs is rather endearing, don't you agree, Impa?"

A sudden feeling of nervousness overtook the Sheikah woman as she saw what the sorceress meant by this. "You… you're just using him aren't you?" she accused. "To get to the Fused Shadows! Since you can't obtain them on your own, you tricked him… What have you done to Princess Zelda to make him think…?" she trailed off, unsure of how to finish as her anger was already growing.

"Please Impa calm down…" Veran said with a slight snicker. "I have not harmed Hyrule's beloved princess… yet. But time wears thin… I'm afraid that I must depart for now. Farewell, _Sheikah_…" She finished, her voice dripping with hatred for Impa's race.

Veran wasted no more time as she vanished with a simple snap of her fingers. "The princess will find salvation and Hyrule will never be yours…" Impa hissed to the air around her, closing her eyes tightly. "My people fought hard to seal you away before, and though only I remain, you will fall. For unlike the last time you invaded this land…" The Sheikah sighed and looked to the southwest, finding a small shred of hope as she made out the faint outline of the figure riding off in that direction. "This kingdom has a hero now…"

* * *

_Link and Zelda snuck back into the castle as they normally did at the end of each day, just as the sun was starting to go down. It was a continent time to return as the changing of the garden patrol happened at that time, allowing them to enter unnoticed. As the two friends neared the courtyard, they laughed softly as they looked back on the day's escapades. But they failed to notice the figure that had been waiting for them on the stone steps near the window._

"_Princess…" the Sheikah guardian called out as Link and Zelda entered the courtyard, abruptly drawing them out of their happy conversation. "I see that you took yet another little 'journey' outside of the castle today…" She frowned as she cast a disappointed glance on the young hero at Zelda's side._

"_Impa!" Zelda gasped in slight fear. "We… well, we… I…" The princess took a nervous gulp, trying to give an explanation. Up until now she had thought that their trips had gone unnoticed by everyone, but she should have figured that the watchful Impa would have taken them into account. "How long have you known?" she asked shyly a moment later._

"_Ever since the first time…" Impa sighed. "Zelda, you know how you're father doesn't like you leaving the castle without a chaperone. If he were to find out…"_

"_But Impa," Zelda protested. "I do have a chaperone! Link had been escorting me safely in and out of the castle everyday now. And nothing bad has happened to us at all! Please, Impa don't tell father!"_

_Impa looked to Link once more and the hero nodded in support of the princess' pleas. "It's true," he said sincerely. "We haven't run into any monsters and even if we did, I'd keep Zelda safe from them. I promise."_

_A small smile claimed Impa's face. "Boy, you shouldn't make promises that you aren't certain you can keep," she said, though there was kindness and understanding in her tone. "So let me get this straight. The two of you want me to condone you leaving this castle on a daily basis, alone, and traverse across the kingdom of Hyrule unprotected…?"_

"_Please, Impa?" Zelda pleaded as convincingly as she could. "Nothing will happen! Besides, I've learned so much about my kingdom with Link. He's shown me the mountain, the lake, the valley… I feel like I understand Hyrule so much more now! Isn't that what you're always telling me, Impa? That a good queen should know her kingdom?"_

_Impa let out a slight chuckle. "I have told you that haven't I?" she said. "Very well then. The two of you may carry on. But listen, boy," she said to Link with an air of caution. "Do not let anything happen to the princess."_

"_Nothing will. I promise," the young hero said firmly._

"_What did I just say?" Impa raised an eyebrow at him._

"_Oh right!" Link exclaimed as Zelda chuckled softly. "I mean, I'll do my best!"_

_Impa smiled and nodded, satisfied that he would. "That's all I ask."_

* * *

**Sorry this has taken so long! Writer's block don't ya know? Anyway, this chapter was longer then i meant it to be and also kinda empty, but i plan on wrapping up this whole "fused shadow quest" pretty soon because we aren't even halfway into the story yet and i feel like i don't need to draw it out any longer. Well, either way, please review! Until next time!**_  
_


	17. A Shadow in the Sand

_Chapter 16_

The queen of the Gerudos stood strong, silent, solitary and sullen atop the highest point of the complex Gerudo Fortress in the first rays of dawn. Her proud golden eyes fixed their angry gaze on the six spires rising up afar off from the fortress in the sandy distance as she muttered curses under her breath. Nabooru couldn't believe that the ancient beings who were supposed to guard the forsaken desert prison had completely and utterly failed at their duty. From the moment that she had received reports that the disposed former king of the tribe of thieving women had somehow escaped from the prison, Nabooru was enraged that such a thing could even happen.

When Ganondorf had first been arrested by the king of Hyrule for plotting an uprising, Nabooru had been named the queen of the Gerudos after the entire tribe saw their former leader for what he truly was: a wicked liar. Nabooru had never trusted Ganondorf to begin with; she had always sensed his malevolent ways and had often plotted against him in secret. Yet when the news came that his plots to conquer Hyrule had been revealed by the princess and a young friend of hers, Nabooru had to admit that justice had been served, even if it came from the foresight of two young children. Ganondorf was in the exact place that she knew he belonged: in chains.

So for a little more than seven years now, Nabooru had made sure that it was there that Ganondorf had remained. In truth, it was actually the responsibly of the mysterious spirits that guarded the prison grounds to keep the evil man in check, but Nabooru had never had much faith in spirits, so she had secretly taken it upon herself to keep a close eye on the prison. But even she could do nothing when her spies reported to her that Ganondorf had vanished from the prison completely about two days ago, and the spirits had been unable to find him at all.

Outraged at this troubling news, Nabooru had sent the Gerudo troops out all across both the valley and the desert to hunt him down. When their searches came up empty, she had sent envoys to Hyrule Castle to inform Princess Zelda of this catastrophe but the princess had not responded. In fact, her envoys had returned saying that the princess had not been at the castle at all. And so, Nabooru decided to take matters into her own hands since the monarchy of Hyrule would not be giving them any assistance. The Gerudo had fended for themselves before and they could certainly do it again, but even the proud queen of the Gerudos had her doubts when it came to Ganondorf. If he was out there in the desert somewhere, there wouldn't be that good of a chance of finding him without losing many Gerudos warriors in the process. And so all Nabooru could really do at the moment was wait for a miracle.

As the Gerudo queen stood looking out over the vast stretch of the desert that lay out past the valley where the fortress sat, she saw nothing but the empty wasteland of sand. Nabooru sighed in disappointment as she prepared to wake the mostly sleeping fortress when a small noise coming from the direction of the valley's entrance broke through the morning silence: the sound of horse hooves. Immediately, her eyes narrowed as she watched the entrance carefully, her hands already on the hilts of the dual scimitars sheathed on her back. She was well prepared to assault the intruder until she made out the figure of the brown made and its green-clad rider as they rushed through the valley entrance at a frightening speed. A sigh of relief escaped from Nabooru's lips and she grinned as she recognized the rider.

"So," she whispered to herself as she prepared to move swiftly and silently. "The princess finally decided to send us some help after all…"

* * *

Link was exhausted. He hadn't slept, or really gotten any rest at all since he left Lon Lon Ranch over three days ago. But he knew that resting would be a deadly waste of time. After all, he was so close. He had collected the third Fused Shadow from the Water Temple with relative ease, but trekking its underwater depths to find it had taken him an entire day. By the time he exited the temple, night had already fallen, so Link wasted no time in heading to the place where the last relic was supposed to be: the Spirit Temple hidden away within the Gerudo Desert.

Despite his exhaustion, the hero was fueled by a strong desire to help Zelda, which seemed to be the only thing keeping him going. With any luck, Link would hopefully find the last Fused Shadow by the end of the newly starting day and return to the Shadow Temple before sunrise the next morning, a full day ahead of Veran's deadline. Although he was hopeful about saving Zelda, a great amount of dread and foreboding hung over the entire grim situation. There was a very real chance that Veran would go back on her word to keep either one of them alive after she'd get what she wanted and the Triforce would easily be hers. Maybe that had been her plan all along. Link had no idea, but the one thing he was absolutely certain of was that he would do whatever it would take to protect Zelda.

And so, Link rode Epona into Gerudo Valley in the silent, dimly-lit hours of dawn, hoping to avoid the aggressive heat of the desert. The hero sighed in slight aggravation however when he saw that gate that lead to the desert was closed, impeding his progress. This meant that he'd have to actually go to the Gerudo Fortress and hope that their leader Nabooru was in a good enough mood to let him through.

Before Ganondorf's arrest, the fortress had been closed off to Hylians, but Nabooru was much more tolerant than the former king of the Gerudo had been. On more than one occasion, Link had escorted Zelda to the fortress so she could meet with the chivalrous thieving queen on matters of diplomacy. For the past seven years, the kingdom of Hyrule and the Gerudo race had been on good terms, which had never really happened until Nabooru's rise to power and Zelda's succession to the throne following her father's death about two years ago. And so, both Link and Zelda were friends with Nabooru as a result, and Link hoped that that fact would warrant the Gerudo queen to allow him quick passage through the desert.

However, as he prepared to deviate off the path towards the fortress, the large metal gate suddenly began to rise. Curious, Link rode over to the opening gate cautiously, wondering who would be opening it for him. But before he continued on through to the desert, he got his answer.

"Long time no see, kid!" a familiar female voice called out from atop the gate. Nabooru winked at him as she gracefully leapt off her perch to stand on the ground in front of him. "I'm guessing the princess set you our way, right? I can't say I'm surprised though… you seem much more able to deal with our problem then that rabble Zelda calls her army." The Gerudo queen let loose a short snicker but Link simply looked at her with confusion.

"What problem?" he asked, knowing that whatever it is, there was no way Zelda could have known about it considering her captivity.

Nabooru stopped chuckling and returned his confused glance. "What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "That… that is why you're here, right Link? The princess received our envoys and sent you to help us… That is the case… isn't it?"

"Help you with what?" Link asked.

Nabooru sighed bitterly as she looked down. "So…" she said to herself with disappointment. "Princess Zelda didn't get our warning, huh? Well, it's a shame she didn't. He could be out there even as we speak, plotting an attack against Hyrule."

"Who?" Link asked, suddenly worried.

"Ganondorf…" Nabooru hissed with contempt. "It seems as though he escaped from the desert prison a little more than two days ago. We've searched the entire desert for him but came up empty. I thought that Zelda would send us some help, so of course when you came I thought that you were that help, but…" she sighed once more. "Well I guess it doesn't really matter either way. You'll still help us track him down, right? After all, you and the princess were the ones to bring him to justice in the first place."

As Nabooru told her tale, Link immediately knew that Ganondorf had not escaped from the desert prison. He remembered back to what he and Zelda had discussed before he left; that to gain the full Triforce, Veran would need all three of its wielders including Ganondorf, the holder of the Triforce of Power. How Veran actually stole the former Gerudo king away from the supposedly impregnable desert prison was a mystery, but she must have absconded with him nonetheless. The very thought filled Link with dread. This meant that not only was Veran one step closer in achieving her ultimate goal, but it also meant that all of his and Zelda's hard work in getting Ganondorf arrested in the first place had been so easily undone. At the same time, it also proved that Veran was a formidable foe; after all, Ganondorf would not have gone down without a fight, a fact Link knew all too well. For Veran to actually be able to subdue him, meant that she was strong. And Link was almost certain that no one had seen the extent of her true wickedness yet.

But for the moment, Link knew that he couldn't tell Nabooru the truth about the fact that Ganondorf was not running free around Hyrule. For all he knew, the former Gerudo king was most likely imprisoned the same exact chamber that Zelda was being held in, though the thought sickened him. But the hero also knew that it wouldn't be too smart to tell the fierce Gerudo queen that he wasn't going to help her, especially considering how upset she seemed over the matter. And so, though he hated to deceive her, Link knew what he had to do to get to the last Fused Shadow.

"I'll help," he nodded, avoiding eye contact with Nabooru.

"Thanks kid," Nabooru grinned in relief. "I knew we could count on you."

Link frowned, feeling extremely guilty. "Yeah," he said hesitantly, though not trying to sound suspicious. "Why don't I go search near the Spirit Temple for him while you look around here?"

Nabooru narrowed her eyes at him. "What makes you think you'll find Ganondorf out there in the desert, by yourself, when none of my troops could?" she asked with suspicion.

Nabooru was too smart and cunning for simple excuses; Link knew this, but he couldn't have her tagging along with him. "Well," he said after a brief moment of thought. "I just thought we'd be able to cover more ground if we split up."

Nabooru hesitated, but gave him a nod of confirmation a moment later, though she still frowned narrowly at him. "Fine," she said, turning to head back to the fortress. "Catch up with you later kid. Good luck." And with that, the Gerudo queen sauntered off towards the fortress, leaving Link to go to the Spirit Temple alone.

* * *

Link rushed through the desert as fast as Epona could take him, not wanting to linger there in the already hot morning sun. The sooner he got the Fused Shadow and headed back to the Shadow Temple, the better. He knew that he had aroused the skepticism of Nabooru on some level and he couldn't help but feel awful about lying to her, no matter how good his intentions had been. He hated Veran more making him do this; for forcing him to lie to his friends and make them worry and become distrustful of him. He had to hide the truth from Malon, from Saria, from Impa, from Nabooru. But it had been to keep Zelda safe; to keep all of them safe really. Veran had made it clear that she was not about to let anyone get in her way, not even those who were completely innocent. Link could only hope that he'd get the chance to reconcile with all of them once this whole mess was over with, if he even made it out of any of this with his life.

However, as the hero neared the ancient Spirit Temple, he was unaware of the multiple sets of eyes that were watching his advance from afar. As it turned out, Nabooru and several of her most trusted warriors were following him. The Gerudo queen had indeed been suspicious of his manner back at the fortress. He had hardly seemed concerned at all that Ganondorf had escaped! Something more was going on here than Link had led to her to believe and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

"Nabooru," the Gerudo queen's second in command whispered as they snuck along swiftly, far out of the hero's view. "Why exactly are we following this kid? Shouldn't we be searching for Ganondorf?"

Nabooru glared at her, her golden eyes flashing in the sunlight. "Lieva," she said harshly, scowling in annoyance. "We're following him because I said so, got it?"

Lieva nodded, not questioning the guidance of their respected leader and exchanged glances with a few of the other Gerudo that had come along with the small party. Sure enough, the band of Gerudo followed Link all the way to the Spirit Temple, where they anxiously watched to see what he would do next.

To Nabooru's slight surprise, the hero didn't even bother looking around the temple for signs of Ganondorf. Instead, he leapt off his horse and hurried in, seemingly in a rush for some reason. This gave Nabooru the idea that he hadn't come to the temple to search for the fugitive former king at all. But if that was the case, then why had he come at all?

"Come on," Nabooru motioned for her warriors to continue following him, even into the temple. The gang of Gerudo reluctantly followed along, unsure of what their leader was trying to accomplish.

* * *

Link had traversed the Spirit Temple once before during his first quest through Hyrule, so he had a relative knowledge of its layout. But of course, he had no idea where to even begin looking for the last Fused Shadow in such a large complex. So, he decided to just check every room, the same strategy that he had implemented when searching Dodongo's Cavern and the Water Temple for two of the other mysterious relics.

Searching every dusty nook and cranny of the temple didn't yield fruitful results at first, until one certain room, where Link spotted a change in the ancient script written on many of the temple's walls. Most of the script throughout much of the temple was written in Gerudo, which Link was unable to read, but out of nowhere, the letters began to shift into broken Hylian, until the words written on the walls started to make more and more sense. And all of the Hylian script bore the same message: _The dark relic lies in a place with no sky_.

Link inferred immediately that the "dark relic" the message was referring to was the Fused Shadow, but the second part of it was more ambiguous. A place with no sky? It was a confusing riddle, certainly, but the hero had deciphered many puzzles before; he'd just have to do the same with this one. Thinking the cryptic message over, Link forged on to the next room, keeping a careful eye on the walls for any more hints.

* * *

Nabooru and her party had watched Link closely in the obscured shadows of the room as he had carefully studied the messages written on the walls. Though all Gerudo were able to read their own language, most knew that the writing on the walls inside the temple mostly told only the history of their race. But Nabooru had recognized the writing change to Hylian around the same time that the hero had. And the moment he left the room, she moved in closer to examine it, being one of the few Gerudo who had knowledge in reading Hylian.

"_The dark relic lies in a place with no sky_…" she deciphered the inscription aloud for her followers as she pondered it over. She thought back to all the tales of various treasures that had been hidden away within the Spirit Temple over the years, but as far as she knew, she had only heard of one object ever referred to as a "dark relic": the Fused Shadow. Entrusted to her Gerudo ancestors to guard long ago, Nabooru knew that the Fused Shadow was trouble. Though she didn't know all of the details, she had been told that it had been used by an evil ancient tribe and that the goddesses of Hyrule had sealed part of it away within the temple. But if all that was true, then why would someone like Link be looking for it? Nothing added up, and the Gerudo queen needed answers, now.

"Let's go," she said firmly to her warriors. "We have to keep following that kid."

"Why?" Lieva asked.

Nabooru turned to look at all of them, angry passion shining in her yellow eyes. "Because," she hissed. "I think he's here for the Fused Shadow."

The Gerudos took in a collective gasp. "But, what would that kid possibly need it for?" one of the warriors asked in disbelief.

"I don't know," Nabooru said, already moving forward. "But I'm about to find out."

* * *

As Link soon discovered, there was more Hylian script scattered throughout the walls of the Spirit Temple, all pointing the way to a hidden section of the temple buried deep underground that he had not explored during his first time there. By "a place with no skies", the writing had clearly meant a place with no light, because the darkened core of the temple would have been as dark as night if it wasn't for the few scattered torches here and there. And so, Link followed the straight, thin path down to the inner most sanctums of the temple, where hopefully a Fused Shadow awaited, still unaware of the group of Gerudos spying on him from the darkness.

After wandering around in the depths of the temple, the hero finally came across a large, circular chamber, with almost no light in it whatsoever. The only shape that Link could make out was the figure of something stone-like sitting in the center of the room. Upon getting closer to it, his heart leapt with hope when he saw that it was the final Fused Shadow. At last, this long quest had come to an end. However, before he could even gather it, a voice called out from behind him.

"Link wait!" Nabooru called out, finally making herself and her warriors visible.

Link turned to her with wide eyes, knowing that he had been caught. "Nabooru, what are you doing here?" he asked incredulously, knowing that there was no escaping this one.

Nabooru approached him, her golden eyes fierce with anger. "The better question would be what are YOU doing here?!" she said harshly. "Do you even have any idea what that thing is?" She said, pointing to the Fused Shadow.

The hero took in a deep breath. "A Fused Shadow," he said, trying not to seem edgy. "And I need it."

"Why?" the Gerudo queen narrowed her eyes at him. "They say that thing is full of dark, evil power. Last time I checked, heroes like you don't have any need for something like that."

She had cornered him and Link knew it. But he still had to get out here with the Fused Shadow; time was running out and he couldn't waste it standing around talking. "Princess Zelda asked me to get it," he said, scolding himself for lying to her once more.

"What would _she _need it for?" Nabooru said, not buying it. "You're hiding something. What is it?"

He couldn't tell her. Not when he was so close. But Nabooru was not going to let him go that easily. Not without an excuse. Unless…

Link hated having to do it, but there was no other way. Nabooru would probably never forgive him for it, but for Zelda's sake, he had to. Before he could convince himself otherwise, the hero quickly drew his blade, taking up a pose of opposition against Nabooru and her band. The Gerudo queen said nothing, instead giving him a hateful look of complete and utter betrayal before drawing her own scimitars, her companions following suit immediately after. For a moment they all simply stood there in a thick, tense silence, both sides waiting for the other to move, until Link turned on his heels and ran as fast as he could towards the Fused Shadow. Hopefully he could get to it before Nabooru and any of her warriors. But from there, he knew that he'd have to fight them to get out of the temple. As much as he didn't want to.

He could hear Nabooru's angry command from behind him as the Gerudos silent footsteps began to charge after him. "Stop him!" she shouted, her voice thick with rage. "Don't let him get out of here with that thing!"

Link didn't dare look back to see how close the warriors were. Instead he just ran, trying to think of only Zelda and convincing himself that what he was doing was right, but failing. Instead of thinking of the captive princess and how this would hopefully help her, he thought of Malon and the sadness in her eyes when he left her alone with her feelings that could never be returned in the way that she wanted them to be. He thought of Saria and her proclamation of unending friendship and how it had been because of him that she had almost died in the burning Deku Tree. He thought of Impa and the common goal they both shared of keeping Zelda safe, but ultimately being unable to thanks to the wicked Veran. He thought of Nabooru and the sound of distrust and hatred in her voice at knowing that he had completely lied to her. And, he thought of Zelda, who probably thought he had abandoned her when in reality, he had been doing the exact opposite. But at what cost? He had been called a hero more than once, but was he really a hero anymore? What kind of hero lies and deceives those closest to him, those who could help him? What kind of hero searches for evil relics for villainous sorceresses which would end up helping them accomplish their ultimate wicked goal? He could easily blame Veran for reducing him to such acts, but he knew that he was to blame for getting any of his friends involved. No matter how good his intentions had been, the Hero of Time was failing the kingdom that he had once saved, the people who cared about him, and the princess who he had promised to protect.

Even so, Link ran nonetheless as the Gerudos swords neared him with each passing second. But the moment he placed a hand on the final Fused Shadow, everything around him went white and silent. No longer could he hear the war cries of the angry Nabooru and her group of Gerudos. Link was no longer in the Spirit Temple at all. But when his vision cleared and he saw that he was lying in the rain of the graveyard of Kakariko before the entrance to the Shadow Temple, still clinging onto the last relic, he almost wished he was, especially when he saw the menacing silhouette of the Sorceress of Shadows standing over him with a pleased, evil grin on her face.

Veran smirked down at him with a wicked fire in her yellow and red eyes as she used her magic to draw all four Fused Shadows away from him. "Bravo _hero_," she said sadistically, snapping her fingers and blinding him once again. "You've done well…" And, in the empty void surrounding him, her cold, cruel, victorious laugh rung out louder than ever.

* * *

_Link and Zelda sat on the banks of the Zora River, letting their bare feet dangle into the cool, running water as they chatted in the warming glow of the mid-afternoon sunshine. The two children always had a plethora of topics to talk about, most of which focused on the young hero's adventures in both the future and in Termina, but today's conversation actually centered on their lives before either of them met._

"_So I know you're from the forest," Zelda said, gently kicking her feet back and forth in the water. "But you hardly ever talk about it. What's it like? Is it true what they say about the people who live there? That they never grow up?"_

_Link frowned for a moment before answering but nodded nonetheless. "They're called the Kokiri," he said. "And yes, they don't grow up. They stay children for their entire lives. Each one has their own fairy who watches over them, and if the Kokiri ever leave the forest, then they'll die."_

_Zelda's eyes widened at him. "But, how were you able to leave?" she asked. "I mean, you are a Kokiri, right?_

_Link sighed somewhat sadly. "No," he said. "I'm a Hylian. I was just raised in the forest."_

_Zelda looked over at him and frowned. "Why?" she asked, her blue eyes filled with curiosity as they often were._

_The young hero proceeded to tell the princess the story about his past that he had been told in the future by the Great Deku Tree Sprout. Of how his mother had fled from the great war that had happened in Hyrule years ago and had died within the forest, leaving her newborn son into the care of the Great Deku Tree, who raised him as a Kokiri._

"_Oh…" Zelda said sadly once his tale was through. "I'm sorry. My mother died when I was little too…"_

_For a while the two of them just sat in a solemn, melancholy silence, listening to the sound of the river's flow and mourning memories of their lost mothers that they had never had. After a while, Link slowly put his hand over Zelda's and gave her a warm, understanding smile, which she was quick to return. And the two children were comforted by the silent understanding of each other that only two people who have such a hardship in common could have._

* * *

**Ok, so i get the fact that this is coming really late, but can you blame me? writer's block is out to get me, i swear. seriously, this chapter was really hard to write so forgive me if it kinda sucks. But the next few chapters are going to be EPIC! so yeah please leave me a review! until next time!**


	18. Darkened History

_Chapter 17_

"Link!"

Zelda's voice, shocked, desperate and distraught, gasped out his name before his vision even cleared, echoing in the darkness surrounding him. Something cold enclosed around both his wrists and the weight of his sword and shield was suddenly gone from his back.

The princess' frightened voice shouted his name once again and this time, Link opened his eyes to see her, hanging on the wall to his left as she had days ago, before he left to go searching for the Fused Shadows. Zelda's blue eyes were filled with both relief and sorrow as she looked at him, fresh tears staining her cheeks. What had she thought of his sudden disappearance? Did she believe that he had abandoned her? Had Veran told her anything at all?

"Link…" Zelda whispered, her voice tight and fearful. "I… I missed you…"

The hero opened his mouth to give her a consoling reply, but before his could, a sharp, somewhat familiar pain suddenly burned on the back of his left hand, causing him to cry out in pain. No less than a second later, Zelda's own cry followed, and then a deep, stifled grunt coming from the south side of the room. Ignoring his own pain for a brief moment, Link shot a glance in that direction and scowled at the sight of his mostly unconscious former nemesis, Ganondorf, hanging from the bottommost wall in the same manner that he and Zelda hung. So it was true; Veran had found a way to break into the desert prison and capture the formidable Gerudo king after all, judging from the caked blood surrounding the large wound across his chest.

The back of his hand still stinging, Link nonetheless turned to Zelda to ask if she had been alright while he had been gone. But it was then that he noticed that the Triforce mark on the back of her hand was glowing golden, more so than he had ever seen it glow before. Glancing up, the hero noticed that his own mark was emitting a blinding light as well. Briefly remembering back to the last time the three of them, the three holders of the Triforce had been in the same place, Link gained a vague idea of what was happening and why.

But before he could even say a word to Zelda about it, wild gales of Veran's cold laughter bounced around the walls of the triangular chamber. "Yes," she said wickedly before making her appearance. "They're resonating…" she hissed with satisfaction, confirming Link's suspicions.

In a flash of purple light, the sorceress materialized in the room, her hands on her hips and a triumphant grin on her dark lips. She was silent for a moment as she turned a full, slow circle to glance upon all three of them before holding her final gaze on the uppermost corner of the room, between Link and Zelda's respective walls.

"It has long been said…" she began distantly, as if she was not even talking to any of them but rather to the stone floor before her. "That whoever holds the golden power in their hands, they shall have the power to rule over all… That when the pieces of Power, Wisdom and Courage are united, the gods will have no choice but to grant the desires of the one who wields them… At long last… the three shall become one once more…"

Veran's broad smile slowly faded as she placed her hands behind her back and closed her eyes, as if mulling over something. Link and Zelda exchanged a brief, worried glance, wondering why Veran seemed so much calmer than she usually was.

"But before that," the sorceress spoke slowly and methodically, still not looking at any of them. "Allow me to enlighten all of you of a history that spans back to before this land was even called Hyrule. The history of this kingdom's wrongs and of the malice of the very goddesses who created it. The history of my scorned people…

"Eons ago, there was a strong tribe who dwelled in the shadows. They served as the loyal protectors of the ancient goddess Hylia, whose duty was to watch over the Triforce. Even after Hylia was reincarnated as a simple mortal, these people effortlessly guarded her from the shadows, ensuring her safety despite the fact that she had already disregarded them by choosing a human hero for herself. Nonetheless, these people were skilled magic wielders, brave warriors, and elusive guardians.

"For the most part, this tribe was loyal to the goddess, but there was a sect within their ranks that was not content with serving 'her grace'… This sect wanted an existence that was more than just devoted service to Hylia. They craved power… the power of the golden relic, the Triforce and control over the realm that it rested in: the Sacred Realm. In secrecy they planned to steal it and use its power to conquer the land and destroy the goddess and her hero.

"To this ambitious end, they insinuated greed within the hearts of men and all lusted after the Triforce. War erupted across the land, so great that even Hylia and her hero were powerless to stop the bloodshed. In the meantime, the sect studied the ancient, forbidden magic of their tribe, growing stronger, until they were easily able to overpower those still loyal to Hylia.

"The sect culminated their newfound power into a dark relic. With it, they slaughtered all who stood in their way to the Triforce. So great was their power, that even Hylia and the goddesses feared them…" Finally another broad grin crossed Veran's face for a moment, as if proud of the horrific accomplishments of this sect, but it quickly faded and turned into a hate filled glare a moment later.

"However… despite their great strength, the sect was stopped right before they finally laid claim to the Triforce and the Sacred Realm. They were defeated in battle by Hylia and her hero and the golden goddesses and the spirits of light intervened. The spirits of light chased the sect across the land until finally, they were banished into a darken realm without light. The goddesses split their dark relic into four fragments and scattered them throughout the provinces of the land."

Upon hearing Veran mention a dark relic that had been scattered across the land of Hyrule, Link's thoughts suddenly turned to the Fused Shadows. These must have been what the sorceress was referring to, which only confirmed what he had believed about them earlier: that they would help Veran gain the Triforce. The only question now, was how?

"For generations, this sect, my ancestors, languished within a realm of never ending twilight," Veran continued, a scowl painted on her darkened face. "There the sun did not shine upon them and all they knew was darkness. From this realm, they could never escape into the land of Hyrule ever again… or so most believed…

"The goddesses in all their supposed 'wisdom' left one link between the two worlds; a gateway between them. But my people never thought to use it. As they wasted away within their darkened realm, they eventually forgot of their lust for the Triforce and of how it was the doing of the dwellers of light that had caused their banishment in the first place. They eventually began to see beauty in that accursed realm of shadows, forgetting the wondrous power their once knew… They were content with that despised place… Content with their worthless lot in life!" The sorceress was fuming with rage by this point, her voice rising into a frustrated shout. "Those fools abandoned their freedom in exchange for a false peace!"

"But even so, there was a small group among them who could never forget…" she took in a long sigh, calming down as she closed her eyes pensively once more. "They could never forget the torture that our people had endured at the hands of Hylia, her hero, and the goddesses. Nor could they forget of the Triforce and of their never ending lust after it. And so, this group eventually began to pass along a prophecy… A prophecy of a coming redeemer, who would escape from our shadowy home and return to the land of light. This redeemer would liberate their people by claiming the Triforce that should have been rightfully ours ages ago. And, they would make the world of light and the goddesses pay for the suffering they had inflicted on us…"

A small, yet vengeful grin crossed Veran's face as she continued. "Years passed, until finally one was born into our tribe that would fulfill this prophecy and avenge our people… The one that my tribe had long awaited for was… me…"

Veran's wicked grin deepened as she looked up to the ceiling of the chamber and clenched her hands into fists at her sides. "I grew up hearing the tales of our tribe's fall and a sense of justice burned within me… All my life, I had craved nothing more than to right the wrongs that had been done to my people. And so I tirelessly studied the legends of the Triforce and the world of light that my people had clung onto until one day, I discovered the fabled gateway between the two worlds. After empowering myself with all of the forbidden, ancient sorcery that my tribe had to offer, I opened that gateway and prepared to enter into the world of light.

"But before I left, I made an appeal to my people. I promised them that if they swore their loyalty to me that our tribe would overtake the light dwellers and become the greatest, most powerful tribe in the world. But my plea fell on deaf ears… Those fools…" Veran's tone began to boil with both anger and betrayal. "They refused to recognize my power, my potential to lead them into a golden age. Instead, they clung onto their do-nothing royal family that, like them, was content to meander aimlessly in the shadows! I had no support from my own people… and so I turned my back on them forever. And so I vowed that like the world of light and the goddesses, I would make them suffer as well. Gone were any desires to glorify my _former _tribe. Instead, I decided that I would claim the Triforce for my own and become the sole ruler of both words. And so, I left that hated, darkened world and entered into this one… ready to take the Triforce for myself…"

"However…" Veran frowned. "There was a small… hindrance in my plans. I already knew well how to gain access to the Sacred Realm and of the nature of the Triforce. Originally, I had set out to search for the Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina of Time but then I discovered something rather… unfortunate… The Triforce no longer rested within the Sacred Realm. Somehow, it had been split into its three essences without the Door of Time even being opened…"

As Veran said this, Link and Zelda exchanged another silent glance. For once, they knew something that the knowledgeable sorceress didn't. How the Triforce was split into three was something that really only the two of them knew. Even Veran had no idea of the future that had never happened, where Ganondorf had indeed opened the Door of Time and the Triforce had been split. Even after Link defeated Ganondorf in the alternate future, the three pieces had remained with their holders.

"But I didn't let that minor setback stop me…" Veran continued firmly. "Instead, I began to search for the Triforces pieces separately. I knew that if I could gather the three with crests together, I would be able to extract the Triforce from them with ease…" Veran snickered before continuing. "And so, for months I searched endlessly across the entire land of Hyrule, looking for the three holders of the essences of the goddesses…

"At the same time, I also scoured the land for the locations of the scattered pieces of the dark relic that my ancestors had once used to attempt to gain the Triforce. With its power, I would be able to extract the Triforce pieces from their holders… I found their hiding spots, but I quickly discovered that those wretched goddesses had placed a seal on them that a member of my tribe could not reclaim them individually. Only a light dweller would be able to…" Veran's lips curled into an evil smile as she glanced over to Link. "Isn't that right, _hero…?_"

At a complete loss for words, Link stared back at her with wide eyes. So _that_ was why she had sent him to get the Fused Shadows. Before, he had had some varying idea about the fact that the Fused Shadows would help Veran accomplish her main goal, but the fact that they would help her physically extract the Triforce from all three of them made the hero feel incredibly guilty. He still wasn't sure how they'd actually help Veran do it, but he had a feeling that he was about to find out, as much as he didn't want to.

At the same time, Zelda watched Link's stunned reaction to Veran's question and became deeply nervous. Curiosity burned within her as she wondered if this had anything to do with his prolonged disappearance. Veran chuckled proudly as Link and Zelda's eyes met for a brief moment. "Link…?" she whispered worriedly, trying to ask him exactly what had happened but the hero quickly looked away from her questioning gaze with shame.

"Even so…" Veran grinned, looking straight ahead once more. "I have to commend you, hero and you too, princess, for almost evading capture. I almost didn't find the two of you because of your little excursion to Termina. What a useless land it is… tossed aside by the gods… No power there to speak of… But either way, the moment the two of you emerged from Termina, I was already within the woods, just waiting to get my hands on the two of you… From there, capturing the Gerudo King was equally as simple, though I must admit that he's the only one out of any of you who holds an actual shred of power.

"And so here we all finally are… The Triforce all together in one place once more… A grand achievement if I do say so myself. All my careful planning is about to pay off… But I honestly can't take all the credit. After all, I wouldn't have gotten my ancestors' relic if it hadn't been for your precious hero Zelda…" she gave a sly look to the princess, who was still completely in the dark.

"What are you talking about?" Zelda spat, her anger rising as she helplessly watched Veran step towards Link.

Veran laughed as she stood close beside the hanging hero, taking his face into her hand seductively. Link cringed and unsuccessfully tried to pull away from the sorceress' cold hand on his cheeks. Rage and hot jealousy pounded through Zelda's veins and she wanted nothing more than to pull out of her binding chains and attack her adversary with all her might.

"Hm," Veran mused thoughtfully. "What a pity… that such a courageous and… _handsome _hero is also such a fool blinded by loyalty for a woman who could never give him the love that he wants because she is bound to her duties as a monarch…"

"Stop it!" Zelda cried in anger and protest before Link could even react to Veran's cruel statement. "That… that's not true! I… I…" The princess tried hard to find words but none came to her. She loved Link. She knew that, but she also knew that her position would make such love hard to peruse. But at the moment, all she could really focus on was her raw hatred of Veran for playing such twisted games with both of them.

Veran's constant grin teased Zelda to no end as she pressed on with her mental torture. "What's wrong princess?" she asked coyly, feigning innocence. "You don't like… _this?_" Without warning, Veran suddenly pushed her dark lips firmly against the hero's, and holding him there with ease. Link struggled hard to break free from her cold lips, hating every minute of the awful kiss. He knew that the only reason she had done it was to spite Zelda and he couldn't stand it. Though Veran blocked his view of her, he could hear the princess' desperate, enraged cries and shouts, knowing that every moment of the drawn-out kiss was equally painful for both of them.

Veran still held onto the hero's chin as she drew away. "Consider that my thanks, hero…" she whispered sensually. "For bringing _them _to me…"

Finally backing away from Link and back into the center of the room, Veran cast a victorious glance at the distraught princess, who was still sobbing over what she had just witnessed. Link desperately wanted her to make eye contact with him but she wouldn't. Instead, she just stared at the ground below her, still sobbing in emotional pain. And seeing this finally drove him over the edge.

"You really are insane!" the hero exclaimed in raw fury. "And I don't care how, but you will pay for doing this to her! I'll make sure of it!"

Veran let out a snorted laugh. "And you really think you can?" she scoffed. "How adorable… Tell me, Link… How do think the princess will react when she finds out that you were the one who collected these for me?" Veran said nothing more as the two of them gave her a confused glare. Instead, the sorceress snapped her fingers and the forms of all four Fused Shadows appeared, floating around her and glowing a shade of dark violet.

Zelda gasped when she saw the relics. She had known some of the history that Veran had described earlier: of the goddess Hylia and her hero and also of the banished tribe and their dark relic: the Fused Shadow. The royal family had been charged with making sure that evil could not get their hold onto the sinister artifacts. Zelda also knew that they had at one time been used to try and gain a hold of the Triforce and for that reason they had been sealed away. It was easy to see why Veran had wanted them, but the fact that she had sent Link to gather them for her under the grounds that it would keep her safe? Zelda's absolute hatred for the wicked woman grew even more if that was even possible as she realized this. At the same time though, she realized that there was nothing that could be done now. Veran had everything she needed to take the Triforce. She was going to win. She truly was unstoppable.

"No…" Zelda said despondently. Suddenly for the first time since that wretched kiss, Zelda cast a disbelieving gaze on Link. She took in a deep breath, realizing that he had unknowingly aided their greatest enemy because of her. "Link…" she whispered in awe and horror as Veran's victorious laughter began to sound loudly. "What have you done…?"

Despite Veran's laughter, Link heard her and shame hit him heard than ever before. It was all his fault. He had knowing helped Veran, knowing the consequences because he had thought that it would help Zelda. But now that he knew what the Fused Shadows were really for, he knew that nothing he could have done would have helped the princess. Veran was going to harm, if not kill both of them either way.

"My ancestors…" Veran said, grinning up at the four Fused Shadows as they rose above her head. "Created the Fused Shadows and infused them with all of their dark magic. It was said that they could do many destructive deeds. Transform its user into a fierce beast, sow discontent into the hearts of mortals, corrupt a land's natural resources. And, perhaps their greatest power… allow its user to possess the form of anyone they chose. Such a power would have easily granted them access to the body of anyone who physically possessed the golden relic. From there, they would be able to steal the Triforce out of the body of its former user and it would become theirs. It's rather remarkable, if I do say so myself…

"And so that brings us to the three of you…" Veran turned a full circle once more, giving looks of examination to all three of them. "I've been thinking a lot lately about which one of you I would use to accomplish this task. The tricky thing is that no matter who I possess, though I'll automatically gain their piece of the Triforce, I'll still have to battle the other two for their pieces. So that automatically ruled Ganondorf out. Not only did I significantly weaken him during our first encounter, but I also realized that you both wouldn't think twice about attacking him considering it was the two of you that got him arrested all those years ago in the first place. So it wracked my brain for a while about which one of you I would use until I came to a recent revelation. The Princess of Hyrule has many things to lose: her kingdom, her citizens… but the Hero of Time… only has the princess to lose. Is this not true?"

After gaining no response from either of them, only being met with another confused glance, the Sorceress of Shadow sighed in exasperation. "What I mean to say is that I came to the conclusion that you, my tragic hero, would never attack your beloved princess… wouldn't you?"

Veran smirked cruelly at Link as her words sunk in. The moment the terrible realization came, he gasped in absolute shock. "No!" he shouted, giving a short glance to the still somewhat confused princess. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh but I would," Veran chuckled darkly. "And so let's not waste any more precious time, hm?" Before either Link or Zelda could say anything, the sorceress began to chant something in an ancient, cryptic language and the Fused Shadows suddenly formed together like the pieces of a puzzle before her hands. As she continued chanting her voice rose and the reformed relic began to glow a bright shade of violet until all at once, the Fused Shadow flew high to the ceiling of the chamber before speeding back down and flying into Veran's chest and burying itself into her flesh, sending her reeling back only for a moment.

"Ah…" she smiled breathlessly, clutching the spot on her bosom where the relic had embedded itself. "Such power… No wonder the goddesses feared it… The only power greater than this…" her eyes flashed with excitement as she set a wicked glance on the unsuspecting Zelda. "Is that of the Triforce…"

"No!" Link shouted once more in rage. "Leave her alone!"

Veran turned her attention to the hero and smirked. "Oh foolish hero…" she said coyly. "You travelled across the entire land to save the princess, but in the end, it's because of you that she will suffer… How ironic…"

The entire time, Zelda remained silent but as she did so, she suddenly gained an understanding of what was about to happen to her. Fear spilled into her heart, not for herself, but rather for Link. She knew that Veran was right; he would never raise a hand to attack her on his own free will. Even her dark premonition had seemed to confirm that. The situation that was about to happen though seemed to be almost a role reversal of her dream however; instead of him attacking her, she would be the one who would attack him, though under the control of Veran. Her eyes grew wide as she realized this and as the wicked sorceress turned to face her once again with a cruel grin on her face.

"And so the time has finally come…" she began darkly. "For me to take what I have lusted after for so long. First the Triforce of Wisdom," she nodded at Zelda, whose heart was pounding violently. "Then the Triforce of Power…" she cast a brief glance to Ganondorf, still hanging unconsciously. "And finally… the Triforce of Courage…" she finally turned to Link with a dark, sensual smile that made his skin crawl. "And then… the world!" Veran's laugh bellowed throughout the entire room as she snapped her fingers. Purple flames began to surround her form until they covered her completely. Blended in with the violet fire, the sorceress danced around the triangular chamber in a graceful frenzy, her laughter ever resonating off the walls. Finally, after touching the center of the chamber's ceiling, the flame that was Veran rushed for Princess Zelda. Link pulled hard on the chains binding him, trying anything that he could to get to her, to save her before it was too late, but in the end he could do nothing. The hero watched helplessly as the flames flew into the princess's body. Zelda screamed in pain and closed her eyes, feeling Veran's dark spirit overtake her pure one and corrupt her. She could do nothing to stop it however; the sorceress had already taken ahold of her physical form. Zelda's spirit was banished to the innermost parts of her soul, where not even Veran could enter in, hiding from her overpowering evil that already had such a strong hold on her.

Zelda's shrill scream finally died out as the princess hung her head unconsciously. Link stared at her with wide eyes, not wanting to belief what he just saw. "Zelda..." he whispered gently, hoping with every part of his being that she would her him.

A cold laugh sounded from Zelda, and it was in her exact voice as well. It grew louder as the princess snapped both of her fingers, instantly causing the chains bound around her wrists to vanish. Finally, she opened her eyes, which were now tainted red and looked directly at Link, a wicked grin painted on her beautiful, once benevolent face. "No…" Veran said in Zelda's voice, raising the back of her hand to show off the mark of the claimed Triforce of Wisdom. "Princess Zelda is dead. And it is all your fault, _hero_…"

* * *

_Ever since she was a little girl, one of Princess Zelda's favorite past times had always been drawing. It was a little known fact that she was actually quite skilled at it as well, despite being still quite young and having no formal instruction in it. Often times when she could find an idle moment, Zelda would take out her thick sketch book and small set of drawing pencils and find a suitable subject to draw. Her previous subjects had ranged from flowers to castle servants but as her and Link began to explore the vast land of Hyrule more and more, the princess had found many more things to sketch along the way. The peak of Death Mountain, the shape of the Castle from outside its walls, the fins and scales of a graceful Zora. Zelda could find a muse in almost anything and on this particular day as her and Link relaxed in the bright after noon under the sunny trees in the southern part of Hyrule Field, she had found a new one._

_She made each mark across the fresh page of parchment carefully as she watched her subject. Her eyes would flicker back and forth between him and her page as she sat with her back against one of the thick trees, trying to capture any one moment in particular as he searched the nearby tufts of grass for stray Rupees to pass the idle time. Zelda had an eye for detail as she took into account the folds of his tunic, the way his hair moved in the slight breeze and features of his boyish face. At one point, while she was completely engrossed in her drawing, she had failed to notice that her subject had silently snuck up beside her to observe her drawing._

"_Is that supposed to be me?" the young hero asked, smiling down at the rough draft of the portrait. _

_Zelda gasped, pulling the notebook away from his view. "Hey!" she exclaimed in surprise as her cheeks grew bright red with embarrassment. "You weren't supposed to see that until it was done!"_

_Link laughed as he stole the book away from her to get a better look at the detailed image. "Stop that!" the princess called out laughingly, grappling to get the book back but failing. _

"_Hm…" he mused with a smile. "I think I could do better," he teased._

"_Oh really?" Zelda raised an eyebrow at him. "Then try it. Draw me." She promptly handed him her pencils and sat perfectly still while he sketched her._

"_And… finished," Link said a few moments later, putting the finishing touches on his "master piece". Zelda took the book from him and burst out laughing when she saw the rough stick figure that bore little resemblance to her._

"_So this is what you think I look like?" the princess asked with a coy grin. "Or are you just a bad artist?"_

"_A little bit of both I guess," Link admitted laughingly. Zelda pouted jokingly for a moment before joining him. After that, the two children decided to leave all sketching to the princess._

* * *

**_whew! that was so long! writing all that took a lot out of me! but whatever. OOOOO! the plot thickens! did anyone notice the references to twilight princess and skyward sword that were in veran's story? well they won't be the last! at least now we finally know her motives huh? So, tell me what you guys think? reviews are always appreciated. until next time!_**


	19. Fallen Princess

_Chapter 18_

Inside of the mind of Hyrule's princess, a great war was raging. Zelda's pure spirit struggled against the dark corruption that Veran was filling her with. Her soul screamed for freedom but the wicked sorceress using the devastating power of the Fused Shadow had already claimed her physical form in its entirety. But Zelda did not give up her struggle. She _couldn't _give up. To relent to Veran's dark control would mean the end of everything. The end of her kingdom that was unprepared for an onslaught of terror and the end of her hero who she knew would never lift a hand to harm her, even if she was possessed by their greatest enemy.

Zelda theorized that if she could somehow expel Veran from her body, then she wouldn't be able to get the Triforce. The princess knew well that light was able to banish shadow, and so she used all of her strength to try and call upon all of the light that she could find inside of herself. But as she attempted to do so, she was simply met by Veran's triumphant snicker echoing inside of her soul, filling it with inescapable darkness.

"You are a fool princess," the sorceress sneered to her soul. "You cannot banish me. Your Triforce of Wisdom is already mine and…" she paused for a moment and Zelda felt a momentary strong burst of power, as if the strength of the Triforce of Wisdom had doubled somehow. But as quickly as it had come, it was gone, stolen away from her by Veran. "Now I have the Triforce of Power as well!" Veran laughed assured of her victory.

Zelda was unable to see or feel what was going on in the outside world from her hiding place in her soul, but it didn't take much for her to figure out that Veran had already claimed the Triforce of Power from the already subdued Ganondorf. Now, the only piece that remained…

"No…" Zelda whispered fearfully. "Link…"

"That's right princess," Veran taunted. "Your little hero will be powerless to stop me. In fact, I'm certain that he'll pretty much deliver the Triforce of Courage into my hands like he delivered the Fused Shadows to me…"

Zelda finally had enough of Veran's cruel tricks, and so she boldly broke through her gales of mocking laughter. "_Never_…" the princess' voice shook with raw fury. She couldn't remember ever being as angry before as she was at that moment. "He will defeat you! I will escape from your grasp and you will fall before you even come close to conquering Hyrule! As long as there is light to banish darkness then it can never extinguish hope!" Zelda quoted an ancient phrase that Impa often said to her, one that always filled her with hope whenever a situation seemed impossible. She believed that as long as she believed that herself, it would prove true.

"How ironic then…" Veran trilled coyly. "That is was you who allowed me to conquer your body in the first place."

"What are you talking about?" Zelda asked in complete confusion. She would never let Veran do such a thing!

"It was quite simple really…" Veran explained. "Though you, o much beloved princess of Hyrule, are mostly pure of heart, even you experience darker emotions, such as desire, hatred and jealousy. You succumbed to such emotions when I… flirted with your beloved hero. Did you not? The Fused Shadow feeds on such negative emotions and it was through them that I was able to enter and claim your physical form."

Zelda was suddenly ashamed of herself for even letting this happen in the first place. If she hadn't let herself become jealous like that in the first place, then Veran wouldn't have been able to posses her! But she hadn't been able to help it. When she saw Veran kiss Link, a raw fury unlike anything she had ever felt before had burned inside of her and she was unable to control it. And it was because of her lack of control that Veran now possessed her.

"So tell me Zelda…" Veran went on, cold laughter lacing her tone. "What good is your precious light to you when you are the very one who banished it? What hope do you or your hero have left? I'll tell you just how much hope you have. None! This kingdom will fall into my hands and any last shred of your pathetic hope will die with the two of you when the Triforce is mine!"

* * *

For what seemed like ages, Veran, in Zelda's body, stood silently before the unconscious, hanging figure of Ganondorf, gazing emotionlessly at the now two glowing triangles on her right hand. It had taken her seconds to steal the Triforce of Power away from the already subdued Gerudo king that there was almost no effort put into its claiming. Link watched her with angst, curiosity and hatred, wondering what the sorceress was waiting for and wondering if there was any trace of the pure heated Zelda who had been his closest friend for years left in her beautiful, golden haired form.

Suddenly, the possessed princess spun on her heel to face the hero, a dark smirk that Zelda would normally never make on her pink lips. Link wondered how Veran was even able to possess the pure and noble Zelda in the first place, with a heart so clean and untarnished and a spirit so perfect and flawless that it would immediately push a being as dark as Veran as far away from it as possible. And more importantly, would he ever have the real Zelda back again, the same Zelda with whom he had spent the better half of the childhood that he actually got to live out and the same Zelda who he had promised to protect no matter what the cost?

"And so it is finally time," Veran spoke through Zelda, her melodious voice filled with malice. "Only one piece of the Triforce remains. I must apologize though, hero. This hardly seems like an appropriate venue for the occasion. Perhaps we should take this duel… outside…" Veran smirked slyly before snapping her fingers, causing Link to be blinded by while light once more. The shackles binding his wrists disappeared and he felt solid ground beneath his feet and a warm, almost comforting breeze on his skin. And when his vision finally cleared, the hero knew exactly where he was.

It was her courtyard. _Their _courtyard, really. The very same courtyard where the two of them had met more than seven years ago on a bright spring day. He had just emerged from the forest home that he had always known and had come all this way just to meet her. She had been having frequent disturbing dreams of dark clouds enshrouding the land and such dreams had fallen on her father's unlistening ears. But on that sunny morning years ago, the two children had first conversed within this elegant garden courtyard, surrounded by the tall stone castle walls with a small stream running through it, radiating a sense of peace and security. She had confided in him and he believed her. She had entrusted the future of her kingdom to him and he promised that he would not fail her. And after it was all said and done, it was to this place that he had returned to her, to warn her of what could have happened. It was here that the two became close friends, where they exchanged stories and secrets. It was here that a parting and a reunion took place. Indeed, it was their courtyard, the place where their friendship began and the place that Veran intended for everything to end. How fitting.

Link found that he was standing on the end of the courtyard that was opposite of the window that a short set of stairs led up to. The sky above him was a strange shade of blue, dark, but not like nighttime darkness, with no clouds or stars. The exit of the courtyard was blocked off by some invisible force, making escape impossible. The hero wondered if he was really standing within the courtyard that was so special to both of them that it was almost sacred, or if this was all just some elaborate illusion created by Veran.

Looking towards the center window of the courtyard, Link saw her, standing before the window looking into it as she had all those years ago as a child. Instead of the tattered blue gown that she had worn ever since they left Termina, she was now girded in her full elegant royal dress and crown. Her hands were folded neatly in front of her as her back was turned to him and as he cautiously took a step towards her, she still did not turn to face him. It was as if she didn't even know he was there, but Link knew better. Reminding himself that the woman standing before the window was not Zelda, but rather Veran invading her body, he started towards her slowly, finding his sword strapped to his back once more and drew it. He made an unspoken vow to not harm Zelda, but even so, he knew that he had to find a way to get Veran out of her before it was too late.

Just as Link reached the foot of the steps, the princess slowly turned around to face him. The look on her face made the hero stop dead in his tracks. She was smiling at him, but with such kindness and benevolence that it would have been easy for one to believe that Veran was no longer inside of her. That the real Zelda was back and the evil sorceress had never invaded her pure heart.

"Do you remember, Link?" she asked sweetly and innocently, bearing no trace of Veran's evil in her tone. "This is where we first met all those years ago. How many years has it been now…?"

"Seven…" Link muttered absently, in slight awe at Zelda's returned manner. _It's not Zelda_, he reminded himself quickly. _It's Veran. It's just another one of her tricks. _

"Seven…" she repeated, looking into the artificial blue sky thoughtfully. "Wow… What a long time… Seven long years of friendship…" she began to slowly and wistfully step towards him and he didn't move as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, using her other hand to take his free one. "But after seven years…" Zelda said softly. "Don't you think it's finally time for us to be… more than friends?"

Link took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, unable to look at her any longer. "Stop it," he hissed quietly, backing away from her touch.

Zelda tilted her head and frowned. "Stop what?" she asked innocently. "What's wrong, Link?"

"You're not Zelda," he said, reminding himself more than her.

"What are you talking about?" she persisted, taking his right hand once more. "Of course I am. Who else would I be?"

As Zelda took his hand, the Triforce mark on the back of Link's hand began to burn more than it ever had before. Looking down, he noticed that the two pieces on the back of her own hand were resonating to it and it was then that he was certain that Zelda was completely gone. The wizened princess of Hyrule would never act so innocent and naïve. And even more, when the hero looked into her eyes, they were completely red, just like the sorceress of shadows'. No matter how benevolent she pretended to be, she could never match Zelda's unfailing kindness and wisdom.

"Veran," Link growled as he ripped his hand away from hers harshly, gripping his sword tightly. For a moment, Zelda just stared at him with her large red eyes before reverting to a sinister grin.

"Good job, hero," Veran said sarcastically. "You saw through an obvious ruse. I applaud your intelligence."

"Get out of the princess," the hero said, glaring at her. "Now."

"To do something like that when I'm so close to my goal would be foolish," Veran said calmly. "And so it appears that you're at an impossible crossroad, hero. Will you defend this fragile kingdom and the Triforce from me by attempting to attack me, knowing that you will only inflict harm on Princess Zelda and do little to drive me out, or will you surrender now and save your dear princess from suffering at your hand? It's your choice, but I must tell you that either way you choice, I will win."

Link didn't give her an answer as he tried to think through the few options that he had. Veran was absolutely correct. If he were to attack Veran directly, he would only hurt Zelda and in the end, the Triforce would still be hers. But if he just gave up, then Veran would have exactly what she wanted. There was no way out and no way to win. The hero was as trapped in this impossible decision as Zelda was trapped within her own body.

After several minutes of lingering silence, Veran finally spoke. "Well since I don't have all day for you to make up your mind," she began, her voice darkening. "I'll take this as your immediate surrender. Prepare to fall… _hero_…" Veran's laughter echoed through the courtyard as she snapped her fingers, causing a long, thin blade to appear in her hand.

When Link saw Veran's sword, he came to his conclusion. He was by no means going to attack Zelda whatsoever. But at the very least, he could protect the Triforce of Courage by avoiding and defending against Veran's attacks for as long as he possibly could. But for how long he could keep it up, he had no idea.

Wasting no more time toying with him, Veran launched her first attack, holding her sword aloft until it glowed with a dark violet flame. In a swift, fluid movement, she swung the sword in Link's direction, sending an arsenal of the purple flames with it. The hero moved quickly, dodging the attack just in time while keeping his eyes on Veran to stay one step ahead of her offense. With her initial strike having failed, the sorceress lifted herself off the ground and began to levitate, causing Zelda's long dress to flutter wildly in the rapidly growing wind. The dark blue sky suddenly turned an angry violet as Veran dove through the air towards Link, her long sword pointed straight at his heart. The hero had no time to totally dodge the maneuver, but he did have time to raise his shield to block it, repelling the lethal blow and sending the sorceress reeling back in mid-air for a moment. But she did not relent. Before Link could even catch his breath, Veran had rushed towards him once more. Luckily, he had the wits about him to hold his shield steady as she began to unleash a barrage of heavy slashes, trying to wear him down as she pushed him until his back was against a wall.

"Give it up hero," Veran hissed as she pressed her sword against his shield with a formidable amount of force. "Your darling princess is already gone. This kingdom is only a step away from collapse. What is there left for you to fight for?"

Link's grip on the handle of his shield tightened as Veran spoke her heartless words, trying to discourage him. He glared over the top of the shield into the wicked red eyes of the sorceress, so out of place with the rest of the princess' features. And it was then that he knew that Veran was wrong. Though the sorceress had control over her physical form, Link was almost certain that Zelda's pure heart was still in there somewhere. He just had to reach her somehow.

With as much of his waning strength as he could muster, Link pushed hard on the shield, forcing Veran back. Instead of launching another strike on him however, the possessed princess simply smirked victoriously at him as she waited to see what he planned on doing next. Much to her amusement, the hero sheathed his sword, but still held onto his shield in case Veran launched a surprise attack. The hero stood firm and glared at her, while desperately trying to see the faintest bit of Zelda left inside of the princess' lovely form.

"You're wrong, Veran," he said firmly, his courage unwavering. "I still have one thing left to fight for. And I'll keep fighting for her until I can't anymore. Zelda!"

Upon this proclamation, Veran suddenly clutched her chest as if in pain. She began to breathe heavily, her red eyes flashing with hatred and surprise. Unbeknownst to her, Zelda, the true Zelda, whose spirit should have been unaware of what was going on in the outside world, somehow managed to briefly hear Link. And as she heard him proclaim that he would always fight for her, newfound hope filled her, ushering the much sought-after light into her soul. Not enough to drive Veran out entirely, but enough to give her hero a brief message of encouragement in this dark hour.

Veran suddenly screamed in rage, throwing her head back and closing her eyes. Link watched with both curiosity and uneasiness, wondering what was going on. As the sorceress' scream died out, she lifted her head quickly and opened her eyes, revealing something that made the hero's heart leap with sudden excitement. Though one of the princess' eyes was still blood red, the other was the same gentle sapphire that could only belong to Zelda herself. She had heard him after all!

"L-Link!" Zelda cried in desperation, reaching a shaking hand out to him for help. Clearly, she was struggling against Veran's hold harder than ever.

"Zelda!" Link exclaimed, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was actually Zelda speaking to him. "You have to fight Verna's control!"

"I… I…" Zelda struggled to even speak, trying as hard as she could to suppress the dark sorceress inside of her. "I… can't… You… have to… fight her… Please… I need you… to protect… the Triforce… more than… me…"

"No!" the hero shouted about the rushing winds, blowing more violently than ever. "I won't hurt you!"

"Link…" Zelda said, closing her eyes in pain as she began to fade. "Please… Protect… Hyrule… I… I…" Her words faded into the wind and she was still for a moment, her face awash with inner suffering. Link couldn't help himself; he rushed over to her, forgetting that Veran was still lingering inside of her and grabbed onto her shoulders firmly, shaking her gently as he tried to bring her back.

"Zelda!" He shouted in desperation, almost on the verge of tears. He had only had her back for a moment and yet the only thing she had told him was the very last thing that he wanted to do. Link knew well that he would never bring himself to hurt Zelda, even if it was upon her own request. Veran had planned this all out too well, for she knew this fact just as much as he did. But even so, he was still torn between protecting the princess and fulfilling her request to protect Hyrule, knowing that no matter how hard he tried, he could not do both this time.

What occurred next happened so quickly that Link had no time to react to it. The princess suddenly grabbed onto his arms and held on tightly as she opened her eyes once more. The hero only had a moment to see them, both red, only this time with renewed evil vigor, before he felt a brutal pain course through his body, causing him to collapse to the ground in agony. Veran smirked down at him as every part of him burned like it was on fire. And before he could even pick himself up, the sorceress directly struck him with a blast of powerful violet flame, sending him flying across the courtyard and knocking him into the opposite wall with almost enough force to knock him unconscious.

Veran was upon him before his vision even cleared from the blow to the head that he had received against the stone wall. The sharp tip of her thin sword cut into the flesh of the hero's right shoulder, electricity pulsing through its metal and into the large wound. Link cried out in intense misery until Veran cut him off with an oppressive kick to the stomach.

"Foolish hero…" she said darkly as she moved the sword down to the almost completely healed wound on his leg. She stabbed it roughly with the electrifying blade, sending an all new wave of unbearable pain through the hero. "Your weak-hearted princess is gone. As is any shred of hope that either of you possibly had. Neither of you ever had a chance. The goddesses were fools to entrust the crests of Wisdom and Courage to the two of you. You're nothing more than a pair of simple, weak children: a fool of a hero who tries to save everyone but can't even save himself and a pathetic princess who claims to be pure and noble, but is nothing but weak in every possible way." Veran stopped inflicting pain on Link only for a moment to lift her head and laugh, pleased at her clear triumph.

With each disparaging word Veran said about the princess, Link's anger towards the hateful sorceress grew, despite his extreme pain. He couldn't take her snide comments any longer. Before Veran could see him and he could even think about what he was doing, the hero stumbled to his feet weakly and quickly drew his sword. He swung it blindly at her, but it was only as he was at mid swing that he realized that he wouldn't hit Veran, but Zelda instead. But due to the throbbing pain of his heavily bleeding shoulder, he was unable to stop his blade in time and the sword hit its mark, tearing a long, but shallow cut in the princess' stomach. Veran screeched in surprise and quickly glanced down at the wound, which, fortunately for Zelda, was not very deep or life threatening at all.

Link dropped his sword to the ground immediately and stared at the wound he had inflicted in horror. Though it was only a lightly bleeding flesh wound, Zelda's blood had been shed by his own hands. He had vowed to never hurt the princess, but he had all the same. Guilt couldn't begin to describe what he was feeling.

Veran simply grinned at him darkly, raising her blade high into the air. "How tragic…" she said, slowly moving towards him. Link didn't move. He couldn't. The only thing he could do was stand there and stare at the cut on Zelda's stomach, unable to even think of anything else. "You said that you would not hurt her, but looked what happened. I have to say, I would have never expected you of something so cold and heartless, _hero…_"

By now, the length of Veran's sword was glowing bright violet, raw destructive power coursing through it. Link barely even glanced up at it as Veran brought it down, slashing its fiery tip across his chest slowly and torturously. The hero cried out in unbearable agony as pain pervaded every part of his body. Unable to take it any longer, he collapsed to the ground, near-dead and defeated.

Veran looked down at him with a victorious grin. "And so…" she said to herself. "The hero and the princess have fallen." Reaching down, Veran took a firm hold of Link's left hand and immediately, her two claimed Triforce pieces began to glow. With little effort, the Triforce of Courage emerged from the fallen hero and rejoined its companions. The symbol of the three golden triangles, reunited once more, glittered brightly on the back of the sorceress' hand. She looked at the three triangles, the full Triforce, and laughed in her ultimate triumph. "At last… The Triforce…" she said, her red eyes flashing with evil. "The power of the gods is finally mine to command!"

Cackling wildly, the sorceress lifted her empowered hand and chanted a spell in an ancient language. Veran emerged from Zelda's body in a form of purple flame, taking the complete Triforce with her. The princess, now free from Veran's control, collapsed to the ground near Link unconsciously. The sorceress paid them no mind as she reclaimed her own form and levitated high above the courtyard, looking out across her new domain as she was finally ready to put her dark designs into action.

* * *

The skies all across the kingdom of Hyrule suddenly grew dark as thunder roared in the heavens. A dark omen brewed across the kingdom, and everyone, from the youngest child, to the oldest elder took note of it. From the graceful Zoras swimming within the waters of their pristine domain to the proud Gorons dwelling high on Death Mountain. The people of Kakariko Village stopped their midday chores and looked up into the blackened skies, fear filling their hearts. At Lon Lon Ranch, Malon sat on the corral fence and nervously stared into the dark skies as she felt a bitter wind blow through her long red hair. Saria bit her lip in anxiety as she looked out of her house window and watched the Kokiri run to their houses to hide from whatever was happening. Nabooru commanded her Gerudo soldiers to take refuge in the fortress as she glared into the sky that was blacker than night and the wind that chilled to the bones. Though none could explain it, all seemed to know that Hyrule was in danger and this time, there would nothing that could save it.

* * *

_After several weeks, Link and Zelda's outings had become a regular occurrence. Almost every day, the two children would venture out on some new adventure in a different part of Hyrule each day. It was an unspoken arrangement that suited the two friends just fine; every morning, Link would come to the castle to escort Zelda out of Castle Town and they would ride off on Epona to wherever they wanted to go for the day. _

_And so one crisp, pleasant autumn morning, Link snuck through the castle gardens once again, as was the cast with every morning to the courtyard where he knew Zelda would be waiting. But much to his surprise, when he arrived she wasn't waiting in her usual spot. The young hero's first instinct was to worry about her as he glanced around the empty courtyard, but as he turned to face the exit once more, there stood Impa, giving him a gentle and knowing smile as she crossed her arms. _

"_Where's Zelda?" he asked the Sheikah nursemaid, wondering what could be wrong with the princess._

"_Don't worry," Impa said kindly. "The princess is fine. She wanted me to tell you that she is simply feeling a little under the weather today. She sends her apologies and hopes that she'll be feeling better tomorrow." _

_With her message delivered, the Sheikah gave him a brief nod and then used a Deku nut to disappear in the typical Sheikah fashion. Link frowned and turned back to the spot before the window where Zelda normally stood. But as he did so, he briefly caught sight of the waving figure that stood looking down at him from the second story window high above him. Zelda didn't say a word, but she smiled down at him kindly, glad that he came even if she was a bit too sick to leave the castle today. And Link smiled and waved back at her, content in knowing that tomorrow would be another day for him to spend with his close friend._

* * *

**_Writer's block prevented me from starting this chapter for the longest time... Anyway, DRAMA! So this was a heavy chapter wasn't it? Now we're really getting into the meat of the story! and only 18 chapters in... wow... T_T so anyway, that's it for now. I hope to start updating more regularly. Review, please! Until next time_**

**IMPORTANT UPDATE!**

**Ok so, I recently wrote a preface and placed it at the start of this story, giving more details about the story and announcing my intent to create a trilogy based around this story. I highly suggest reading it if you've been following this story. thanks so much!**


	20. The Exiled Sheikah Princess

_Chapter 19_

"_Awaken Princess of Destiny…" _

A voice called out to Zelda as the final remains of Veran's darkness finally left her, releasing her soul from its cruel bondage.

"_You are free, O Princess of Destiny… Rise from the imprisonment of the Sorceress of Shadow and return to yourself…"_

She listened in a daze to the distant, earthreal, yet somehow comforting voice, confused about what it was saying. What did it mean, "return to herself"?

"_Heed these words, Princess of Hyrule… Your kingdom weeps under a mantle of dread and darkness… The golden power rests in the hands of a wicked sorceress descended from a great evil that sought it long ago… But there is still hope for this land… There are but two who can defeat the sorceress in all her power… One of the blood of the goddess and one of the spirit of the hero…"_

Now Zelda was even more confused. Perhaps if her spirit wasn't so weak from her previous inner struggle with Veran, then she'd be keener on what the voice was saying to her and would have an idea on what it meant.

"_Princess of Destiny… You who are chosen to be our leader… Return to yourself… Flee to the desert… Come find us… We shall aid you…"_

With each word the fleeting voice spoke, Zelda began to feel a sense of physical being return to her, which she had not felt since she had been possessed. That must have been what the voice had meant about returning to herself, she figured. All parts of her body were numb but she finally had control of it again, much to her relief. For a moment, she savored the comforting feeling of simply being free, but suddenly a bitter, frigid, baleful wind blew across her face. The sound of thunder, mingled with distant fearful shouts and other assorted sounds of chaos resonated around her, as did the metallic scent of blood. Her stomach suddenly churning in fear, Zelda slowly opened her eyes and let out a sharp gasp at the sight above her.

The sky was pitch black, save for the occasional flash of white lightning. The winds raged violently in almost all directions and the ground rumbled constantly, albeit it was so soft that it was barely noticeable. Very carefully, Zelda started to pull herself into a sitting position, but as she did so, a sharp, hot pain split across her stomach. Looking down, she saw a long, lightly bleeding, yet shallow cut torn across the skin on her stomach. Clasping a hand over the wound, she tried her best to think clearly and remember what happened, but she could not.

"Your highness!" A shocked, distraught and familiar voice called out from not too far behind her. Zelda looked over her right shoulder, briefly taking in the fact that she was within the courtyard of her castle as she did so, to find Impa quickly approaching her, her arms filled with various bundles as if she was going to travel somewhere.

"Impa…" Zelda sighed in relief, glad to see she trusted guardian again after so long. The Sheikah suddenly stopped short a few feet away from her position though, letting out a quiet gasp as she stared at something to the left of the princess with wide eyes.

"What?" Zelda asked, suddenly alarmed as she began to turn her head to follow Impa's gaze.

"Zelda," Impa said quickly in an attempt to stop her. "Don't-"

"Oh Goddesses!" Zelda exclaimed, tears immediately coming as she looked at the bloodied form of her unconscious hero lying not too far away from her. The full memory of what had been going on hit her hard. "Oh Link!" she sobbed, disregarding her injured stomach as she crawled to his side. "What… Why…?" Her questions trailed off as she looked over his multiple injuries, the awful realization of the tragedy that had just taken place hitting her. Veran must have certainly won and now both the Triforce and Hyrule were hers. A thousand thoughts ran through Zelda's mind at once, but the only one she could truly focus on was whether or not Link was even remotely alright, though she could clearly tell from his dire injuries that there was a slim chance that he was.

Impa placed a consoling hand on her shoulder. "Princess," she said firmly between Zelda's broken sobs. "We must hurry. We have to leave the castle quickly. Castle Town has already fallen under Veran's complete control even though she's only had the Triforce for less than an hour. Luckily, I had the soldiers evacuate the town before her takeover. I believe Kakariko is still safe, so perhaps we can find refuge there. But please, we must go now. I do not know if Veran still intends to bring further harm upon you."

Taking in a ragged breath, Zelda wiped her face clear. "Y-yes…" she said slowly, nodding as Impa helped her to her feet. "We should leave…"

"Then let's hurry," the Sheikah turned to the courtyard's exit and began to briskly lead the way. Zelda did not move to follow her. Turning, Impa looked to Zelda, who stood unmoving beside her fallen hero. "What is wrong?"

"I'm not leaving him here," Zelda said firmly, determined passion shining through the sadness in her blue eyes.

"Zelda…" Impa sighed in slight exasperation, though she understood the princess' position.

"No Impa," the princess said in a commanding tone that she often took when faced with an important decision. "I can't leave him," she repeated. "I won't."

"But Zelda," Impa glanced towards Link sadly. "You must know that he's-"

"No!" Zelda exclaimed fiercely, kneeling down to his level. "He's not! He's alive! I… I can sense it!" She immediately scolded herself for lying to Impa and to herself. At the moment, Zelda had no idea whether Link was alive or not, but she couldn't bring herself to even consider the possibility of the latter of the two.

Impa looked between the two of them for a moment and then sighed again. She hurried across the courtyard and quickly slung the unconscious hero over her shoulder, knowing she was stronger than the princess and would be able to carry him better than she would. Zelda smiled weakly to her loyal guardian and took several of the bundles she had been carrying into her own arms as she followed closely behind her as they left the courtyard.

They traveled in silence through the garden and out of the strangely empty castle, which was understandable as Zelda was so overcome and fearful that no words came to her. She had questions for Impa, of course. Questions about the condition of her kingdom, how many casualties there had been and what their next move would be after fleeing to Kakariko. But she kept them to herself, for the question that was bothering her the most was one that neither her, nor Impa would be able to answer clearly.

Zelda sighed sadly as she looked at Link, still unconsciously slung over Impa's shoulder, his right shoulder still freshly bleeding. What really _had _gone one while she was possessed? Did he even try to fight Veran at all in order to protect the Triforce and had simply been bested by the mighty mystical powers of the evil sorceress? Or had he refused to attack the princess at all, as Zelda had feared he would? She decided, as her and Impa approached the castle gate where two horses awaited to aid in their escape that it didn't matter what had truly transpired either way. Veran still had the Triforce, Hyrule was still in grave danger, Link was still hurt and the princess was still on the run.

After positioning the hero on the back of the saddle on Zelda's horse, Impa turned to the princess, drawing out one of the few bundles that she still carried. "I need you to wear this until we arrive at the village," she said, handing Zelda a long, brown cloak that would conceal much of her form, including her face. "I have something else for you to wear when we get there, but for now you must wear this. It's of the upmost importance that you are not recognized now."

"But Impa," Zelda said, taking the cloak and draping it over her shoulders. "Veran has already gotten what she wanted from me. Why would she be after me now?"

"It's not Veran I'm worried about," Impa said, hastily mounting her horse.

Zelda gave her a look of confusion. "Then who-?"

"I will explain everything when we arrive at the village," Impa cut her off. "Please hurry princess."

Zelda sighed at how Impa wasn't really explaining anything important to her, but she nodded nonetheless and mounted her white steed, pulling the hood of the cloak over her head and glancing behind her to make sure Link would not fall off the horse. Impa wasted no time in sending her horse into motion and Zelda quickly followed suit, following swiftly behind Impa and her horse as they galloped through the open gates towards town.

As Impa had said, Castle Town was completely abandoned, having fortunately been evacuated before Veran's conquest. But it was here that the effects of the sorceress' newfound powers granted to her by the Triforce could be clearly seen. Nearly all of the buildings had been reduced to little more than smoldering piles of rubble, a few of them still alit with bursts of flame. The market was completely decimated, as was the entire residential quarter. The elegant stone statue of the crest of the royal family that had stood at the center of the fountain in town square was gone in its entirety, as though it had never stood there in the first place. The only structure of note that actually remained of the town was the Temple of Time, its immaculate steeples untouched by Veran's evil for some reason as the towered over the senseless destruction.

Zelda let a few stray tears escape as her and Impa rushed through the empty scene, but then remembered that no one had been here to reap the violence for this attack. She could only hope that the rest of Hyrule would be safe from a similar fate. There were so many beautiful places throughout the kingdom to be lost to Veran's devastating power.

The princess kept her eyes transfixed on the scenery of Hyrule Field as they rode across it at dizzying speeds towards the entrance to Kakariko. Aside from the evil pigment of the skies above, there seemed to be no other signs of further destruction, much to her relief. As for how long things would stay like that though, Zelda hadn't the slightest clue.

The entrance to Kakariko Village appeared like a beacon of safety in the distance. Considering Impa was from the once-Sheikah village and had opened it up to the rest of Hyrule some time ago, certainly they would receive aid there, as some of the former inhabitants of Castle Town most likely already had. Leaving the horses at the foot of the entryway stairs, the party of three hurried into the village. As always, the princess stayed close behind her dutiful Sheikah guardian as she hauled the still unconscious hero through the darkened back paths of the village, hidden out of sight from the fearful, scrambling citizens as they tried to make sense of the black skies above them. Zelda wondered why Impa didn't want anyone seeing them, even here in this otherwise peaceful, hospitable village. But she didn't outright question her guardian as she was led to Impa's large, old house on the village's east side.

Immediately after they entered the darkened, empty house, Impa proceeded to lock the door tight and closed all the shudders, adding even more darkness to the house. After a second of total darkness, an orange flame suddenly materialized, set on a torch hanging from one of the walls of the room. Zelda stumbled behind Impa through the low light up the stairs into the small upper loft where two bed rolls sat waiting along with several piles of supplies from food to medical equipment. Of course, Zelda should have figured that Impa would have been well prepared in case there was ever a need for them to escape the castle.

After setting Link down on one of the bed rolls, Impa turned to Zelda and motioned to the other one lying beside it. "Sit," she commanded firmly.

"But-" Zelda began to protest that Link needed attention first and that her small stomach wound was hardly worth fretting over, but Impa insisted tending to it, so she did so.

Zelda wasn't really paying attention as Impa cleaned and bandaged the cut, but she did take it as a perfect opportunity to finally ask some of her burning questions that she knew Impa would be able to answer. "So did everyone evacuate?"

"As far as I know," Impa answered, still engrossed in her work. "If anyone did not, then they did not have a desire to continue living. You saw the ruins for yourself."

Zelda nodded. "And the castle servants? The soldiers? The nobility?"

"Many of the servants escaped as did the soldiers, but the members of the court… They did not take heed of the premonition of darkness approaching. They let the soldiers evacuate the town, but none of them left themselves. We must fear the worst for them I'm afraid."

Zelda took in a deep breath. Her entire court, dead. It was strange that she actually was upset over the loss though; her court had consisted mostly of cranky old men whom her father had appointed before his death. Zelda had not gotten around to choosing her own members yet, but she had made plans to do so, considering she didn't exactly see eye-to-eye with the court. They were entitled, greedy, and hardly had Hyrule's best interest at heart and they often clashed with the princess over many things. But certainly none of them deserved to die such a painful, terrible death.

"Alright," she said after a moment of silence for their memories. "What about the rest of the kingdom?"

"I have not received word of any more widespread destruction but I have heard that monsters have been sighted across Hyrule Field," Impa reported.

"But that doesn't make sense," Zelda said, her eyebrows furrowing. "If Veran's finally gotten her hands on the Triforce, why hasn't she made a large step to conquer Hyrule yet? What is she waiting for?"

"My best guess," Impa sighed. "Is that she already has."

"What do you mean?"

"It started shortly after the two of you left for you little trip. Before you were even expected back, I had heard rumors of growing unrest and unease within Castle Town. I investigated it and discovered that some were even speaking traitorous words against you and the royal family as a whole. But even then it, I thought it was little to be concerned over. Until just a few days ago. A riot broke out near the castle gates. At least a hundred citizens had banded together and tried to break into the castle, shouting cries of revolt and upheaval. The soldiers disbanded it, but the damage had been done. The entire city was caught up in the chaos. Almost every soul had been turned against you. I am almost certain now that Veran must be behind this. There is no rhyme or reason to their discontent with you. She must have used sorcery to corrupt the hearts and manipulate the minds of the people to turn against you."

"So that's how she intends to conquer Hyrule… Through political unrest…" Zelda mused, bothered by this troubling news. Her own people, turned against her… It was almost unbearable. Now there would be little help for them anywhere. "Is that why we're hiding here?"

Impa nodded gravely. "Yes, but I'm not so sure that we are safe even here. The people of Kakariko are still loyal to me, but like those in Castle Town, they are rebellious against you. If they were to find you here… It would be unthinkable. That is why I want you to wear these." Finally finishing wrapping Zelda's stomach, Impa found one of the bundles and handed a pile of clothing to the princess. Unwrapping them, Zelda found that the clothing was the full set of her Sheik disguise, bandages and all. Without the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda was unable to use magic to transform, so now she'd have to do it manually.

Since Zelda was incapable of changing her own eye color and hair length and color, Impa used some Sheikah magic to do it for her. Zelda quickly changed into the outfit, bandaging her head, arms and breast lightly, and making sure that her royal dress that she had worn there was not discarded, despite it being torn and bloody. When she was finished changing, she looked down at the red eye design printed across her chest and sighed, realizing that no longer was she a princess. Her kingdom had been torn from her and she was now hiding for her life. Zelda was gone, hated by her people and forced to flee from her home. But in her place was Sheik. Sheik was braver, stronger, bolder, and fiercer. Sheik had courage where Zelda did not. Zelda was a weak little princess who had been unable to protect her kingdom when it needed her the most. Sheik was a mysterious warrior that had no one to answer to. And in the current situation, Zelda saw hope in Sheik and decided that for the time being she would leave the princess behind and let her vanish away and embrace this Sheikah identity. And through it perhaps, she would learn to be stronger and braver than Zelda could ever hope to be.

But as Sheik looked down at the tear marked red eye another thought occurred to her. For some reason she remembered Veran's long rant before she was possessed. About an ancient tribe that dwelled in the shadows. That description sounded quite similar to the description used for the Sheikah and she just had to know if they were one and the same.

"Impa," Sheik said. "Before Veran took the Triforce she mentioned that she was descended from a sect that was from a tribe that dwelled in the shadows and protected the ancient goddess. Was that tribe… the Sheikah?"

Impa looked at Sheik for a long time with no emotion on her face before letting out a slow sigh. "Yes…" she said, looking down. "It is a long story, though she probably told you some of it. What she wanted you to hear at least…"

"Why did that sect break off from the main group of Sheikahs?" Sheik asked, suddenly craving to know as much as she could about this.

"In the ancient days, the Sheikah were completely loyal to the ancient goddess," Impa said. "It was their duty to protect her given to them by the golden goddesses. The ancient goddess was entrusted the Triforce by the old gods and to protect it from evil, she hid it away with the humans and gave up her immortality so it could be used to destroy the demon king. To this end she chose a hero to conquer the demon king. The hero fulfilled his destiny and protected both the Triforce and the goddess, but this act had gained the animosity of many of the Sheikah, who thought that the goddess had replaced them with her hero."

"So they were jealous?" Sheik asked.

Impa nodded. "Yes and they decided that if the goddess was going to disregard them, they would disregard her."

"So they created those dark relics, the Fused Shadows, right?" Sheik pressed. "And they used them to try and get the Triforce?"

"Correct," Impa said gravely. "They started a great war and almost succeeded in gaining the Triforce. The loyal Sheikah fought valiantly against their corrupted comrades, and many of them were wiped out. But in the end the traitors were defeated by the goddess and the hero and they were banished to a darkened realm, a place called the Twilight Realm, where they should have never been able to escape from."

"But what about Veran?" Sheik asked.

Impa's face darkened even more. "To this day, I have no idea how Veran even found her way into the world of light. But she did nonetheless, about seventeen years ago."

"Seventeen?" Sheik said, her eyes widening. "But that's now old I am…"

Impa closed her eyes and turned away from Sheik. "Yes," she said quietly. "I know."

"What happened?" Sheik said, curiosity eating away at her.

Impa did not answer her immediately, which made Sheik worry. "Impa, what happened?" she repeated.

The guardian let out a long sigh. "It was not long before you were born. The Hylian Civil War, which was raging on at the time was at its height. It was during this time that Kakariko Village, which was still a Sheikah-only village, was attacked by Veran, who seemed to come out of nowhere. She was after the secrets of the Sacred Realm so she could gain the keys that would open the Door of Time. She attacked the village, knowing that the Sheikah would have such secrets. She laid waste to the village, slaughtering many Sheikah in her wake. I… I was the only one to escape alive… I fled to the castle and warned your mother so she could go into hiding with you and the Ocarina of Time."

"Oh Impa…" Sheik said, realizing just how many Sheikah were lost in Veran's attack. As far as she knew, Impa was the last true remaining Sheikah alive in Hyrule. Veran had almost wiped out the entire Sheikah race. She should have expected no less evil from the woman who had been able to singlehandedly strike Link down.

After a moment of dense silence, Impa continued. "Thankfully, the spirits of the seven sages were able to send Veran back to her realm before she could get her hands on the Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina. She was imprisoned by her own people for several years for crimes that she had committed against them but she of course escaped again recently. I fear that she is one of the greatest evils Hyrule has ever faced. Her ambition and power is far greater than that of her ancestors and with the Triforce in her hands, there's no telling what could happen."

Sheik was taken aback by all of this information. The bloodied history of the Sheikah seemed to be a large part of Hyrule's history, but if that was the case, then why had she never heard it before? If all of this was true, then clearly she did not know as much about Hyrule's history as she had thought. "Impa," Sheik said, sudden anger rising up in her. "Why… why am I only finding out about all of this now? If this is such an important part of Hyrule's history, then why does no one know that any of it happened?"

Impa sighed. "Zelda… The Sheikah are a tribe that must keep their secrets well guarded. It is the nature of our tribe and it is necessary for it allows us to carry out our task of protecting the royal family with perfection."

Sheik's anger was rising at her guardian, and she knew there was something, if not many things that she was not being told. "But if I had known all of this, about the sect and Veran, don't you think I would have been able to protect myself better from all of this? Then maybe none of this would have even happened! Then maybe Veran wouldn't have the Triforce, Hyrule wouldn't be cowering under a veil of darkness, and Link wouldn't be…" she caught herself before raw emotion busted forth. Tears were on the corner of her red eyes, but she had no intention to let them go now. "Impa…" Sheik said, her voice think with betrayal and hurt. "If you had told me this before, when I was younger, then things wouldn't be like this now…"

Impa did not look at her at all and remained silent for quite some time. And when she did speak, her voice was very quiet. So quiet that Sheik could barely hear her. "Perhaps this could not be prevented either way, but it cannot be undone now…"

Sheik gave no response. Was there really any she could give at this moment? Never before had she not trusted her life-long guardian, but now in the face of these dark secrets of one of Hyrule's most enigmatic tribes, she wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

Impa rose to her feet and began to head down the loft steps. "I want you to stay here. I'm going to scout around the village and Hyrule Field for information about the condition of the rest of Hyrule. Do not open that door and don't go anywhere. I'll be back in a few hours. There are some more medical supplies here so you may treat his wounds if you wish. I'm sorry that this happened Zelda. But I could not be happier that you are safe." With a small yet sad smile, Impa went out the door, closing it firmly behind her.

For several minutes, Sheik simply sat within the dimly-lit silence of the room, feeling a million emotions at once. Eventually she glanced over to Link, who had not moved since they had arrived at Impa's house. Despite her feelings of dread about the situation as a whole and her new misgivings about Impa, her priority at the moment was clear. With a level head, Sheik examined his many injuries, which by now had bled out quite a bit. It would have been easy for one to pass him off as dead considering this but upon checking his pulse, she found that he was alive, but just barely. She wasted no time in started with his leg, which had been torn open once again. It was simple enough to clear, stitch and bandage, but Sheik could tell that both the cut across his chest and the gash in his shoulder was far beyond her ability to treat. Far beyond anybody's ability really. But Sheik wasn't about to give up that easily.

Not wanting to spend a moment idle, Sheik lit a few more torches up to give the room more light and started leafing through the many notes about Kakariko village nailed to Impa's walls. And in one, she found exactly the solution she was looking for. A note detailing the location of the nearest fairy fountain, located continently enough below the village graveyard.

Perhaps Zelda, who had always trusted Impa's guidance and council, would have spared a second thought to keep her instructions to stay hidden, but Sheik, who was by far more brazen and who was certainly not happy with Impa at the moment, decided to disregard the command. After all, this was an emergency and it wasn't like Impa had told her the whole truth, which could have protected her in the long run. Putting her feelings of betrayal aside, Sheik grabbed an empty bottle from Impa's shelf and quickly rummaged through Link's gear bag for the Ocarina of Time. For a moment before leaving through, she simply stared sadly at him, sending silent prayers to Farore that he would make a full recovery. And then, recalling an old melody called the Nocturne of Shadow that Impa had once taught her, Sheik played the song that transported her to the village graveyard, much faster and safer than walking.

In the depths of the empty, dark graveyard, Sheik arrived on a pedestal that sat before the entrance to the infamous Shadow Temple, where it was said that the bloody history of Hyrule's greed and hatred was recorded. Sheik wondered, as she lept down into the main part of the graveyard, if Veran's attack on Kakariko Village seventeen years ago was written there too, despite it being so well hidden from the rest of Hyrule.

As she passed the gravestone that marked the royal family's tomb, Sheik bowed her head in reverence to her father and her other deceased ancestors buried there. What would her father think about the kingdom being ripped from her hands? Would he be disappointed? Disgraced? She merely shook her head in woe and fought her tears as she continued towards the gravestone that had been dictated on Impa's note. Pulling the stone marker back, it revealed a clean cut hole, large enough for her to drop down into. The scene at the bottom of the hole looked exactly like what Sheik expected it to. It was almost totally dark and the floor was littered with various bones. The thick underground air smelled of decay and rot, making Sheik's stomach churn. How a fairy fountain could exist in a place such as this was hard to see, but nonetheless, she headed for the back end of the narrow room, where what looked like a door sat. Upon closer inspection, this wasn't a door, but rather a thin wall blocking the next section off. Since the flimsy thing didn't fall to a swift kick, Sheik instead decided to implement a different tactic. Pulling out a Deku Nut from the pouch full of them that Impa had given her along with the disguise, Sheik threw it down and the wall shattered on the breath of its explosion, revealing the next hallway.

Thankfully the sounds of running water and chimes of flittering fairies soon became audible. As Sheik rounded the next corner, she found exactly what she had been looking for: the fairy fountain, filled with the tiny, beautiful, iridescent creatures. She sighed in relief as she slowly approached the picturesque fountain. It was the first thing of beauty she seen since her and Link left Termina over what must had been a few weeks now. Taking in the moment of peace and serenity, Sheik sat down at the edge of the shallow, shimmering waters and let them lap at her feet, watching the fairies dance gracefully in the air. One of them flew down to her and let out a cheerful, bright laugh as it circled around the disguised princess, filling her with its warm healing magic. For a moment, Sheik closed her eyes and took in the blissful comfort, but then remembered that time was of the essence. Standing, she took out the bottle and easily coaxed one of the small fairies into it. With her mission completed, she turned to leave but looked back at the peaceful fountain one last time, pining for the rest of Hyrule and her weary soul to know such calm in the face of this great adversity.

* * *

_Hyrule Field was awash in white, its rolling fields topped with fluffy clean snow. Flecks of the white substance were gently raining down upon both Link and Zelda as Epona did her best to carry them through it, despite the covering being at least a foot deep. Eventually, Link brought the horse to a halt and the two children dismounted, their foot prints leaving marks in the snow as they ran through it laughingly. _

_After a few minutes of playing tag in the wintery conditions, both of them crashed to the cold ground in breathless exhaustion, still chuckling. After a moment of this, Zelda fell back into the snow and stretched her arms and legs out wide, tossing them around neatly to create a snow angel. With the image completed, the princess rose to her feet and frowned when she saw that it hadn't turned out right. Much to her annoyance, Link laughed at the thing, to which Zelda answered with a swift ball of snow to his face. And so, a great snowball war had begun._

_For what felt like hours, the two children exchanged snowballs, their many gales of laughter echoing through the empty white landscape. By the time they were worn out, they were both covered in snow and their cheeks were rosy red from the cold, but neither of them were that cold. Their blissful play and happy company had kept them warm the entire time._

* * *

**Sorry if this is a bit late, but I discovered something about this story. Everytime I try to write a chapter for another one of my stories, my mind will only come up with ideas for this one. is that a good thing or a bad thing? Oh well, I hope you guys are enjoying! We're gonna see a lot of plot twists in these next few chapters so keep your eyes peeled for references to other Zelda games, especially Skyward Sword! Until netxt time!**


	21. Restoring Hope

_Chapter 20_

The melodious plucks of harp strings echoed throughout the elegant yet simple temple like structure, where rays of sunlight streamed in through the mostly-open roof. The place was clearly holy, but nothing seemed to be really holy when compared to the almost-glowing person who was positioned only a few feet before Link as he stood within this ancient temple. From what he could tell since their back was turned to him, the figure was a young girl, about his age, with long, golden blonde hair that ran down her back in shining curls. She wore a simple, immaculate, pure white dress that flowed perfectly with her easy, thin figure and she seemed to be the source of the mysterious, beautiful, almost haunting melody that bounced around the temple's walls. She was singing along to the harp's song with perhaps the most beautiful voice that Link had ever heard, more lovely than Zelda's or even Malon's. However, she sang in a strange language that he couldn't understand, but all the same, both her voice and her song were simply entrancing.

With a short crescendo accented on the harp strings, the girl finished her song and slowly turned around to face him. And admittedly, she was perhaps the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on, her loveliness rivaling that of even Princess Zelda. Framing her softly rounded face were two braids laced with shimmering blue-violet ribbons to match her bracelets and sandals. Her skin was pale but glowing with radiance, reflecting the warm sunlight that circled her. In her arms, she gently cradled a small golden harp that looked decidedly familiar to Link. She smiled warmly and brightly at him, her glowing face lighting up even more somehow. Her perfect facial features accented her beauty certainly, but by far the most notable thing about her face was her eyes. They were a deep, stunning shade of clear cerulean blue, a shade that Link had undoubtedly seen before in Zelda's eyes. In fact, when he tried to mentally place a name to this girl's face, the only one that came to his mind was Zelda. Clearly, this young girl was not the princess, but the semblance so strong in both her physical appearance and her radiant manner that they could be sisters.

The girl said nothing to him, but simply closed her eyes and picked at her harp strings for a moment before starting her song over again. Only this time, instead of singing it in some strange language, she sang it in very broken Hylian. Link struggled to understand the words that her mellifluous voice was singing, but he picked up on a few of them nonetheless: "Youth… guided… servant… goddess… unite… earth… sky… light… land…"

After singing the words to the melody, she repeated it on the harp one more time, only this time just instrumentally. With every pluck on the harp though, its sound began to grown more and more distant to Link, as did the image of the beautiful girl. Before vanishing into blankness entirely though, the girl gave him one final small smile as her lovely song faded away.

* * *

The moment Sheik saw Link stir, she let out a large sigh of relief. The fairy's magic had done its job perfectly, reducing his heavy cuts to little more than ugly scars. _That's one_ _problem out of the way… _Sheik thought as she sat by, watching him roll around as if in slumber. _Now only a million more remain…_

To further aid in waking him, Sheik found one of the few royal family heirlooms that Impa had been able to smuggle away from the castle: an ancient harp that had been passed down through generations of Hyrule's princesses. She had an adequate knowledge of playing it, though she was decidedly better at the ocarina, so she moved closer to the semi-conscious hero and strummed a few notes absentmindedly in an attempt to ease him back into consciousness.

When Link heard the sounds of the harp, he thought he was still within the realms of his dreams, still standing before the girl in white, but he slowly opened his eyes nonetheless. Considering the low light of the room he was in and the fact that he was still quite weak, he could barely make out the shadowed figure sitting only a few feet away from him plucking on harp strings, but when he did, he couldn't believe his eyes.

He hadn't seen Sheik since his first adventure across Hyrule to defeat Ganondorf. And even then, he had always seen the mysterious Sheikah as a male persona. That is, until "he" revealed "himself" as Princess Zelda herself, shattering the hero's expectations of his elusive helper. But the Sheik who sat by his side now was by no means a male disguise. Though she looked similar in her clothing, the princess' feminine frame was not hidden away by bandages like it had been in the alternate future and in addition to this, she now also had a tight braid wrapped with thin white ribbon.

When Sheik saw that Link had finally awakened, she immediately set the harp aside and looked at him sadly. For a long time, the two of them simply stared at each other, taking in the fact that the other was alive and for the moment, out of harm's way. And then, they both simultaneously broke the thick silence of the room with the exact same statement: "I'm so glad you're alright."

Both of their cheeks immediately reddened in embarrassment, but they both smiled lightly nonetheless. Lowering the cloth covering her mouth so he could see her true face, Sheik spoke up. "I'm sorry about the disguise," she explained, motioning to her outfit. "Apparently, I need to stay hidden." She briefly explained their escape from the castle and the subsequent flight to Kakariko, along with the people's revolt against the royal family. "Impa told me to stay here before she left," Sheik said, bringing her story to a close. "But I left to get you a fairy. After all, you were almost dead."

"Thank you," Link said, pulling himself into a sitting position as he finally noticed the fact that her stomach was bandaged heavier than her chest, almost definitely because of the wound that _he _had inflicted on her. "It's much more than I did for you."

Sheik frowned and moved even closer to him, until she had both of his hands in hers. "No," she said firmly, but sadly. "This isn't your fault. Don't even think for a moment that any of this is your fault. Veran is the one to blame here. She manipulated you by using me. But regardless, we're both very lucky to have escaped with our lives."

"Zelda…" Link said morosely, giving her hands a slight squeeze.

"Sheik," she said with little emotion. "Call me Sheik, at least until we can come out of hiding."

"Fine," he said. "Sheik. Even if this isn't my fault, it's still my problem. Veran's not going to get away with this, I promise."

Sheik sighed. "Why do you feel like you have to face this alone?" she asked. "I… I don't want to see you hurt again… With the full Triforce at her command, Veran has more power than anyone could hope to deal with. If we let her, then she wouldn't hesitate to kill us in a heartbeat."

"But Zelda-" Link started to protest.

"Link, please," Sheik said sorrowfully, wanting nothing more than for him to remain safe. To remain with her. "I'm asking you this because I… I care about you. Please don't try to take Veran on. At least until we find a definite way of defeating her. And when we do, we'll finish this together. Ok?"

"No," he said firmly, much to Sheik's surprise. "Because I won't see _you_ get hurt again."

Sheik closed her eyes and thought for a moment, trying to find a solution to this disagreement. "Fine," she said, turning away from him. "Then either we stay hidden together or we go our separate ways. All I know is that my kingdom needs salvation but there must be a smart way to go about it. Maybe that isn't our responsibility to bear or maybe it is. But if it is, then we have to at least stay alive so we can do it. At the moment, we're all Hyrule has now. We can't leave this land without any hope."

Link thought carefully about what Sheik was saying as he looked into her falsely scarlet eyes. Of course, he wanted nothing more than to defeat Veran and save Hyrule yet again. But at the same time, he also knew just how powerful she was, especially with the Triforce at her command. At the moment, the chances of him actually coming out of a battle with her alive would be slim, especially considering his close call the last time. And then there was Zelda… He had been so close to losing her the last time. What if he couldn't protect her again? What she said did make sense, though. Maybe it would be best for the two of them to remain hidden, at least until they were strong enough to take on Veran. Link knew it would be tedious, cowardly even, but for Zelda's sake he would. To keep her safe, he had to.

"Alright," he said after a long moment of thought. Sheik turned to face him as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We'll stay hidden. For now."

Sheik smiled softly, but there was little joy in it. Like Link, she wanted to fight Veran. To rescue her fallen kingdom from her wicked clutches and reclaim the respect of her people. But she also knew that patience would be best in trying to deal with this problem. In fact, Sheik believed that it would very well save both of their lives.

"Thank you…" she said hollowly.

For a while, silence lingered between the two of them until Link spoke up. "So what should we do now?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Impa said we should stay here…" she began, frowning in displeasure. "But I feel like we shouldn't waste any time. Veran could bring Hyrule to its knees in a matter of minutes if she wanted to. We have to find a way to stop her and fast."

"Any ideas?" he asked.

Sheik sighed and closed her eyes to think for a moment, until a recent memory came to her mind. One that would hopefully help them. "I had another dream…" she said slowly, remembering back to her most recent vision. "A strange voice was speaking to me. I can't remember it exactly since it was right as I was coming out of Veran's possession, but I do remember it telling me to come to the desert. And that we'd receive aid there."

"So should we go to the desert?"

Sheik nodded. "I think we should. Whoever this is, they clearly want to help us… And if we're going we should leave right away."

"If you want to," Link said. "But what's the rush?"

She sighed once more, looking away from him. She really didn't feel like detailing her frayed relationship with Impa at the moment. She knew that if they didn't hurry and leave the village immediately, while Impa was gone, then there'd be a slim chance of them leaving at all.

"I…I'll explain later," Sheik said hesitantly as she rose to her feet to gather supplies. "Let's just go."

Link nodded, but as he attempted to rise along with her, he felt the crippling, resurgent pain that the fairy was unable to heal holding him back. The moment Sheik noticed this, she lowered herself down to his level again, her face awash with concern. "Oh," she said sympathetically. "I'm sorry. If you're not fully healed we can wait for a while if you want."

The hero didn't stubbornly argue with her this time as he sat once more, trying to wash the remaining pain away. Sheik pulled herself close to him once more, taking one of his hands into her own. And for a while, they sat there in silence, until out of nowhere, she found herself moving even closer to him, until her head was leaned against his chest and her arms were wrapped around him loosely. He returned the gesture almost without any thought, enclosing his arms around her and pulling her in closer still. The two of them remained like this in silence for quite some time, simply finding comfort in each other's warm embrace. And in that dark hour, when hope seemed gone, pieces of what was lost were restored for to two of them through the relief that they'd been reunited and through the simple promise that they'd have each other for another day.

* * *

_Not all of Link and Zelda's escapades across Hyrule were simple explorations through the peaceful hills of Hyrule Field. On more than one occasion, they would travel to places that would certainly cause Zelda's father or Impa to scold them at the potential dangers. But the two children saw such journeys as great adventures just waiting to be found. One particular day found them attempting to scale to the peak of Death Mountain, where it was rumored that a Great Fairy lived. However, the path leading to the summit was quite treacherous. Falling boulders were quite common, as were random raining brimstone. And so, they took care to avoid such hazards, but even as they did so, it was still an extremely dangerous trek for two small children. _

_As they scaled the mountain, Zelda couldn't help but hold onto Link's hand tightly as he led the way up the path. They hurried as much as they could dodging danger as they went, but even so, they could do little to avoid the small piece of brimstone that happened to fall from the volcano and strike the spot where the two of them were holding hands. _

_Simultaneously crying out in pain at the excruciating burn, the two children let go of each other's hands and grasped their respective burns with their free hands. But they had little time to dawdle, for another spell of fiery rocks was coming down upon them already. With wide eyes and racing hearts, the two of them hurried to the summit as fast as they could, their hands throbbing in pain the entire time._

_Once they made it to the safety of the summit, they sat down to catch their breaths and examine their burns. Putting aside his own stinging hand, Link put his concern for the princess' condition at the forefront of his mind._

"_Are you OK?" he asked her breathlessly. As he glanced over at her, he suddenly noticed the silent tears streaming down her reddened face as she squeezed her own hand tightly._

"_It… hurts…" she sniffled. Certainly, the princess thought, this was the worst pain she had ever experienced. _

_Link smiled softly at her and took her hand as gently as he could, so not to cause her any more pain, and examined the freshly-burnt skin while still ignoring the throbbing pain of his own. "It's ok," he said warmly, helping her to her feet. "I know someone who can help."_

_Zelda didn't question him as she wiped the tears of stifled pain from her cheeks. She continued to hold on to Link's hand as he carefully led her to the Great Fairy's Fountain, where both of their burns were healed almost instantly. And, even as they headed down the mountain via a different route, Zelda clung onto Link's hand, unwilling to let go of the security and safety she felt so long as she held it._

* * *

**Well this one was shorter than some of the more recent chapters... and more empty too... Sorry about that... But from here on out, I think we'll be seeing alot more interesting stuff, like plot revelations, twists, romance, character appearances, maybe even a little light humor. who knows? All i know is, its about we see what our beloved sorceress of shadows is up to, huh? ;) And perhaps we shall... next time!**

**UPDATE: BETA READER WANTED**

**Are you a Beta Reader? To you enjoy this story? Do you want to help me improve it? If so, then please, by all means please PM me and maybe YOU can become the beta reader for Wisdom and Courage and a few of my other Zelda stories! **


	22. Queen of Shadows

_Chapter 21_

Veran was assured of her victory. After all, she had planned everything out so well. She had taken into account every last detail and had a solution for everything in case something went wrong. She had practiced extreme patience and cunning, and had studied all the necessary lore down to the letter. She had gathered every last bit of powerful magic that her tribe still had left and had collected all of the recourses that would in her success. And now, she had the prize that she had sought after for so long: the golden power of the gods, the Triforce.

With its full strength at her command, the sorceress of shadows was unstoppable. As a show of her enhanced magic and power, Veran had laid waste to the capital city of Hyrule, and had shortly after done the same to its castle. The only building she had left standing among the rubble was the Temple of Time, and solely for the fact that it was there that the entrance to the Sacred Realm was located, a place which she hoped to conquer once her conquest of Hyrule was through. But Veran was in no rush; she wanted to savor the destruction of the kingdom that had been denied to her ancestors as much as she could. But even so, the land of Hyrule was already hers. None could hope to stand against her awesome power, not even the former princess or her fallen hero, both of whom Veran had not bothered to destroy as she had seen no point. After all, they'd die with the rest of the fools who might try to oppose her soon enough. But even in all her power and strength, Veran was not entirely satisfied. She craved even more power, beyond what the omnipotent Triforce could give her. Where she could get such power, even she did not know, but she did know of those who would have such knowledge…

Veran's purpose in traveling to the forbidden desert prison sometimes known as Arbiter's Grounds was actually two-fold. Both of her reasons involved the spirits of the ancient sages who had sent her back to her realm where she was imprisoned by her own foolish people for years. When she had finally found her way back into the world of light, she had made sure to stay out of the detection of the sages and thanks to her decisiveness, she had been able to avoid capture. And now that the Triforce was hers to control, even they would be powerless to stop her dark regime. And so she headed to their dwelling place within the Arbiter's Grounds not only to force them into revealing another source of power, but also to brag about their inability to stop her. The old fools would pay for sending her back to her hated home, just as Hyrule would pay for its unfair prosperity.

Veran arrived with the sage's chamber in a flourish of flame, already a dark smirk showing on her face. "Hear me ancient sages of Hyrule!" she shouted to the empty, sun-burnt area. "It is I, Veran, the _former _Sorceress of Shadow. Now that I have the Triforce in my hands, I shall henceforth be referred to as the _Queen _of Shadows. Come out from hiding, you cowards, and hear my demands, for there is nothing you can do to defeat me!"

Slowly but surely, the ethereal, ghostlike forms of the six sages materialized atop the six circular spires high above the chamber, each one bearing their respective symbols. At a time, when Hyrule had been in danger under Ganondorf's control in an alternate future, they had taken on physical forms to aid the Hero of Time. But since the threat of the Gerudo King had been diminished, there was no longer any need for them to take such forms. Now they existed in these identical forms, the secret of their protection over Hyrule and very existence hidden away from most who lived in the kingdom. Veran scowled up at them in hatred. "Fools…" she hissed, remembering the suffering they had caused her. "I command you to tell me the locations of any remaining sources of power within the land of Hyrule. Do this, or be destroyed by my incredible might!"

The sages glanced at each other silently for a moment or two until the spirit of the Sage of Light spoke first. "O Sorceress of Shadow…" the sage said ominously. "Though you wield the True Force, you are blind and overconfident. You believe that none can stand in your way and that you will destroy this land under your dark rule, but the goddesses in their providence will not allow such terror to befall this land. They will send one to stop you. In fact, they already have…"

Veran simply lifted her head and laughed scornfully. "Please," she scoffed. "How can the golden goddesses hope to stop the very one who wields the power that they created to sustain this world? In all their self-proclaimed 'wisdom', the goddesses did not create the Triforce with the ability for it to distinguish between good or evil and so I may do as I please with it! And as I am the one who holds it, I do not fear their wrath, but rather I curse their very names! Curse Din and her power, for it is weakness! Curse Nayru and her wisdom, for it is foolishness! And curse Farore and her courage, for it is cowardice!"

"You are bold, Sorceress of Shadow…" the Sage of Spirit said gravely. "To curse the might of those who created the very power that you hold… Because you have provoked the goddesses' anger and fury, they will certainly hasten your downfall and give their support to the ones destined to defeat you…"

"No mortal could ever hope to stand against me and live…" Veran said, self-assuredly. "Who are these fool beings that the goddesses have sent? Who are these mortals that care little of their own lives?" She quickly poised a large, violent purple flame above the palm of her hand and aimed it in the direction of the spires, ready to strike the sages down immediately if they did not agree to her terms. "Tell me, lest Hyrule loose all six of its weak sages…"

No sage said anything for a moment, until the Sage of Water lowered its head as if saddened. "We cannot answer your first demand, for there is no power greater than the Triforce resting within the realm of Hyrule…"

Veran glared at them, but she knew that their claim was truthful. She would be finding no more power within Hyrule, but that did not mean that the rest of the world was devoid of power… She would just have to find it… "Fine," she said calmly, leaning casually against the rim of the mirror that lead to her realm, a relic known as the Mirror of Twilight, which was the sage's charge to protect. "Then answer my other demand. I know that you have knowledge of the beings whom the goddesses will send. Not that I fear them either way..."

"Of all the creatures and peoples within the land of Hyrule…" the Sage of Forest began. "Only two have the capacity to defeat one of your kind… They are descended from the two who were responsible for sealing away your people in the ancient days. The one of the Blood of the Goddess and the one of the Spirit of the Hero… only these two can bring your reign to an end…"

Veran's eyes widened as she glared at the sages. She knew that this was no hallow prophecy. Indeed, her people had been sealed away by the goddess Hylia and her chosen hero ages ago. Even in all her extraordinary power, she knew that ultimately she would not be able to win against their descendants… that is, unless she were to destroy them first… "Who are they?!" she growled, clenching her fists tightly. "I command you to tell me immediately or meet your ends!"

The sages suddenly boldened at Veran's proclamation, sensing the barely noticeable fear in her tone. "We will not compromise their safety to you," the Sage of Fire proclaimed strongly. "As they are now, they are not able to defeat you. They must grow stronger and when they do, they will eradicate you and your foul power."

Veran raised her fist once more to create a blast of magic to fire at them, but she restrained herself. Closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath of frustration, she thought back to the ancient lore that she had read about the goddess and her hero. She vaguely remembered that few pieces of Hylian lore stated that the kingdom of Hyrule itself was started by Hylia's human reincarnation. One of the blood of the goddess… Well, clearly the goddess' reincarnation was no longer alive, seeing as she had lived centuries ago… But perhaps the sages were referring to a descendant of Hylia…

"You speak of the descendant of Hylia…" Veran mused aloud. "One of her bloodline. And if I remember correctly, then Hylia herself started the kingdom of Hyrule and lead its people until her passing… Which means… she must have been the first member of the royal family of Hyrule! And if that's the case, then the one of the blood of the goddess is the only remaining member of the royal family… Princess Zelda!"

The sages let out quiet gasps of surprise and exchanged fearful glances. They had not expected Veran to be able figure this out, but clearly she was well versed in her Hylian lore. And now, the life of the princess of Hyrule was in even more danger than she already was.

"You old fools…" Veran laughed in satisfaction. "You cannot protect the princess from me… She is weak and will be easy to dispose of. And then, the bloodline of the goddess will be forever destroyed!"

"So you believe," the Sage of Shadow said defiantly. "But the one of the spirit of the hero is still a mystery to you. And unlike the blood of the goddess, his heritage is not passed down through blood relation, but by the merit of an unbreakable spirit."

"You mean through reincarnation?" Veran asked, smirking knowingly. "Like the kind written about by Hylia's own hand in her ancient letters? Of how she prophesied that her hero would be reincarnated whenever Hyrule is in danger? I am aware of that, believe me. I am also aware of the legends that state that the old Hylian knights were of the hero's lineage. Not that rabble that tries to call themselves an army that stands to protect the royal family now. And if you remember as well as I do, then we all know just what happened to the true knights of Hyrule the last time I was in this land…"

The sorceress snickered evilly at the memory. During her first attack on Hyrule, aside from nearly eradicating the Sheikah race from the land entirely, Veran also was responsible for another mass genocide. She had brought about the deaths of the entire Hylian knight force all at one time. She had mercilessly slaughtered all those who were sworn to protect the royal family, all in her search for the keys to the door of time and the Triforce.

"O Sorceress of Shadow…" the Sage of Fire said. "Again, you are blind. Though you succeeded in murdering almost all of the true Hylian knights, your massacre did not extend to every last one of them. A lone descendant remains among them, and it is he who has the spirit of the hero."

"_What?!_" Veran screeched fiercely. "That's impossible! I killed every last one of them and their families. I made sure of sure of it! How can one of them still be alive?!"

"On the night that you slaughtered them," the Sage of Light began. "A wife of one of the knights fled away from Castle Town with her newborn babe, despite her heavy injuries. She escaped to the forest, where she breathed her last, but her son survived. The infant was taken into the forest and raised among the forest children, the Kokiri, by the forest guardian, the Great Deku Tree. The baby grew into a boy who traveled through time to save the land of Hyrule and also saved Hyrule's twin land, Termina. He became known as the Hero of Time…"

"Hero of Time…" Veran repeated, smoldering in anger as she realized how familiar the title sounded.

"Yes," the Sage of Water said. "The Hero of Time is the final descendant of the Hylian knights and the goddess' hero; the last link in the bloodline."

Veran's eyes widened in realization as she picked up on one certain word that the sage said. "Link…" she muttered loud enough for the sages to hear. "But… that's impossible! That foolish _boy,_ he… he…" Veran was panting in rage by this point, angered by many things at once. Firstly the fact that that infernal hero had been the only one to escape her massacre, followed by the fact that those two wretched _children _were the only ones who could actually have a chance at stopping her. She should have killed them both while she still had the chance! Now, the two of them were most likely hiding in the underbelly of Hyrule simply in the hope of escaping her wrath.

"Fine!" Veran shouted in fury. "It doesn't matter either way! I will find them and kill them both! Then nothing will stand in my way…"

"Once more you are overconfident in your success," the Sage of Forest countered. "It is said that security precedes failure. If you kill the princess, then the blood of the goddess will be eradicated from this world, however, the spirit of the hero cannot be destroyed. It does not exist in flesh, but rather in essence. You may kill the Hero of Time, but the spirit of the hero will endure forever and a new hero will rise up with it to stop you. You can never defeat it. It is indestructible and unbreakable…"

Veran simply smiled darkly as she turned to leave the chamber, just as full of determination and drive as ever. "It matters little…" the self-proclaimed Queen of Shadows said evilly, vanishing away in a flash of violet flame. "I _will _find a way to break the unbreakable…"

* * *

_Out of all the places in Hyrule that Link and Zelda had traveled to, there was really only once place they had not visited yet. And, having traveled to almost every corner of her kingdom, Zelda was the most curious about it: the forest._

"_Are you ever going to take me to the forest?" the princess asked the hero one day as they spent the afternoon fishing at Lake Hylia's famous fishing pond. "You never talk about it, even though it's where you're from. It's the only place in Hyrule I haven't seen yet… Will you take me there? Please?"_

_Link frowned and looked away from her, not answering her question for a long time. Even more curious now, Zelda sat her fishing pole aside and put a hand on his shoulder. "Link…?" she asked worriedly. "I… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have brought it up… Never mind…"_

_Several more moments of silence lingered between the two of them until Link broke through it. "No…" he said somewhat hesitantly, finally making up his mind about taking her to the very place that he had been avoiding for months. "I can take you… If you really want to go…"_

_Zelda looked at him in worry. "We don't have too…" she said slowly. "I was just wondering what it was like there…"_

_The young hero finally smiled at her warmly, pushing aside his reservations. "Well then," he said as the princess slowly returned his grin. "I'd be more than happy to take you."_

* * *

**Ok sorry for these short chapters, I hope to make the next few longer and more detailed. Anyway, how did u guys like veran being pretty much the main character this chap? I just thought it'd be a nice change of pace... so... onto the next matter of bussiness... PLEASE PEOPLE! LEAVE ME REVIEWS ALREADY! ahem! not to sound desperate but, I mean it! Don't be shy to leave me some feedback, even if its just a short little blurb of a review! If you do, then i'll give u all an imaginary red ruppe! ;) Until next time!**


	23. Ancestor's Mantle

_Chapter 22_

To save time and to avoid the detection of either Veran or Impa, Sheik insisted that they travel to the desert using the Ocarina of Time's warping capabilities. So, she played the harp while Link played the ocarina as they preformed a duet of the Requiem of Spirit, which immediately took them to the vast, empty depths of the desert wasteland.

Thanks to the cover of darkness reigning across the skies, there was no red sun beating down on the normally hot desert sands. Upon arriving in the area of the desert that was home to the Spirit Temple, Link and Sheik stood and glanced around the blowing sands for a few minutes, looking for any signs of life but finding none.

"So what are we looking for?" Link asked Sheik as she closed her eyes and listenined to the whistle of the soft wind.

"I don't really know…" she said thoughtfully. "But whatever it is, it's this way." She pointed to the largely empty expanse to the north, where the only shape that could possibly be made out was the vague silhouettes of rising spires miles in the distance. "A strange wind is blowing in that direction… I'm not sure why, but I feel like its calling us…"

Link nodded, seeing no reason not to believe the princess' trustworthy instincts. And so, the two of them headed off in that direction in silence for a while, but both of them were eager to break it. Sheik was first, detailing to Link the destruction of Castle Town, as well as those who escaped and the few who did perish in it.

"The nobles of Hyrule, the members of my court, didn't make it," Sheik said with both bitterness and distain they walked towards the spires. "None of them believed the impending danger and so none of them tried to escape. The poor old fools… They wouldn't have believed a warning of oncoming danger if they had been able to see it coming from miles away with their own two eyes. When I was younger, and would have prophetic dreams, they were always the ones who encouraged my father not to believe them… They said that a king shouldn't listen to the childish ramblings of his own daughter. So of course, after his death we didn't really see eye to eye on most things. They never really approved of any of my choices, and they _really _didn't approve of me being around you…"

"Why?" Link asked with genuine curiosity. He had listened to everything the disguised princess had said with close attention. It wasn't often that she spoke of her royal business with him and whenever she did, it was almost always to vent, as she was doing now. And he had learned the hard way to always listen to her when she was angry or upset.

Sheik sighed but smiled softly under her face coverings. "I guess it was mostly a matter of tradition and social standing…" she said. "Hylian princesses are expected to court princes or other members of nobility. It's not really a written law, but it's something that the court really believed in. I always thought it was a foolish tradition and I told them that I'd spend my time with whomever I pleased. But they wouldn't hear it; the moment they found out about my outings with you, they ranted and raved about how it was indecent and inappropriate behavior and that I was a princess and you were a commoner and how I should have had the kingdom's best interest at heart and that I wasn't permitted to be friends with you anymore, but… I ignored every word…"

"Why haven't you told me this before?" the hero asked, slightly taken aback back what she seemed to be implying by what the nobles had thought the nature of their relationship was.

"Because," Sheik said, somewhat wistfully. "It doesn't matter what they thought. I went with you simply because I loved the feeling I got whenever I snuck out of the castle walls and explored Hyrule with you. The feeling I _still _get when I'm with you… When I'm stuck within my royal responsibilities, I feel trapped, imprisoned in a life that I never really asked for or wanted… But when I'm with you, Link… I feel… free… Free from being "princess" Zelda… Free to be who _I _want to be… Free to be _with_ who I want to be… And for that, I could never thank you enough…"

Link could not think of anything to say in response to her heartfelt, poetic notions. Zelda had never outright just said something like this before to him. It was, at the very basic level, how she felt in her heart, how she had been feeling for quite some time most likely. And interestingly enough, he largely felt the same, but in a different way. He had always enjoyed showing Zelda the sights of the beautiful land of Hyrule. He loved how her beautiful blue eyes lit up whenever they saw something new, how she'd gasp in awe and give him a radiant, glowing smile of genuine happiness. For some reason he couldn't quite explain, simply seeing her happy made him happy. But the hero knew well that he wasn't able to articulate such thoughts as well as the princess could, so he showed her them in the simplest way he knew how. Slowly, he reached over and gently took her soft, delicate, yet bandaged hand into his own, and held onto it as they walked through the desert side by side.

Contrary to the panorama of foreboding blackness above their heads, the two of them felt like they were awash in warm, golden sunlight. They were both smiling contentedly, though Sheik's was hidden away underneath her face coverings. Their steps were in perfect unison as they trudged on across the sand, so close to each other that their shoulders were less than a few mere inches away from touching. And for the longest time they remained in a peaceful silence, neither one of them thinking of anything else but the person who walked by their side.

Link and Sheik were so entranced in each other's company that neither one of them even spoke as the sight of the large, circular, stone atrium that the spires rose up from became clear in the distance. Neither one of them could find any words to say lest they destroy their first true moment of actual joy since their capture.

"Link…" Sheik said tranquilly, though a bit hesitantly as they approached the structure's entrance. "I… I…"

"Welcome to you…." An ethereal voice called out from nowhere, cutting her off before she could continue the statement that had been weighing heavy on her heart. "O Princess of Destiny… O Hero of Time… Come. Hear our words. Let us aid you in your quest to restore peace and justice to this land…"

Sheik gasped as she immediately recognized this voice. Not only was it the same voice from her dream, but now that she was hearing it in person, she instinctually knew who it was and what her relation to it was. "The sages…" she whispered to herself, her eyes wide in realization. "Link, it's the spirits of the six sages. They led us here and they're going to help us!"

Link hesitantly let go of her hand and frowned. The whole concept of the "spirits" of the sages seemed odd to him. After all, he was used to seeing the six sages in physical forms from when he awoke them so they could aid him in defeating Ganondorf. So naturally, he was a bit more skeptical than Sheik was about who was actually calling them. "Are you sure?" he asked, immediately catching a look of aggravation from Sheik.

"I'm positive," she said firmly, leading the way into the atrium. "Now come on."

The inside of the large, open air round atrium was mostly bare save for two notable features: a large slab of flat rock with an intricate, glowing white pattern on it that was projected from a round, mirror-like object that was patterned with the same designs. The spires that they had followed here rose high above the walls of the atrium, each one bearing one of the symbols of the six sages. And sure enough, all six of their identically spectral forms appeared standing atop the spires and peering down at Link and Sheik from their perches.

Sheik lowered her face coverings and nodded respectfully to them while Link remained still and silent, though he was fascinated by the transparent forms that the sages now took. "Princess of Destiny, Hero of Time…" the Sage of Light addressed them first. "You were wise in coming to this place. We have much to speak with you about. The first among these is about your status as our leader, Princess Zelda."

For the moment, Sheik let her persona as a Sheikah fall by the wayside as she took up her royal identity once more, despite her rough garb. "I am aware of that…" Zelda said regally. "Since my childhood, I have known of my destiny to lead the sages. I used to have frequent dreams instructing me of this…"

"Very well," the Sage of Shadow said. "But allow us to say that we are not the only ones in need of your leadership, princess. The land of Hyrule is quickly falling into discord and disarray without a fair hand to govern it. The Sorceress of Shadows has turned the people against you, but in time, they will find their hearts and minds and stand to fight on your side once more. We can promise you that."

Zelda smiled softly, glad that she would eventually regain the favor of her beloved people once again. "Thank you…" she said cordially.

"Indeed," the Sage of Forest said. "But there is also another matter of grave importance that we must discuss with both of you. Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, was here shortly before your arrival."

"What?!" Link exclaimed in anger, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword on instinct. Zelda gasped at the news, wondering fearfully if their enemy could still be in the surrounding area, watching them strategically.

"Do not be alarmed," the Sage of Water said. "She simply came looking for information, but… we must apologize for our moment of weakness. We inadvertently revealed some information to her that may bring danger to you both. And so, we shall reveal everything that we told her to you, and more."

"There is an unknown, ancient prophecy that comes from the days that the goddess Hylia lived among the people as a mortal…" the Sage of Fire began. "In those days of old, Hylia and her chosen hero subdued the sect of Dark Interlopers, who started a great war for the Triforce. And yet, as they were banished to the darkened world of shadows, their leader uttered a curse against the goddess and the hero, one that would last so long as their tribe endured."

"They vowed that they would return to the world of light," the Sage of Spirit continued. "And destroy those born of the breed of the goddess and the hero. But the goddesses could not allow the land to be without protectors, and so, they altered the curse to be a prophecy in favor of the people." The sage motioned to the mirror that stood in the center of the atrium. "The new creed was that if the members of the dark tribe, the Twili, were to ever find their way back through this Mirror with an evil intent in their hearts, then there would only be two who could hope to stand against their kind."

"These two would be descended from the goddess and the hero," the Sage of Forest said. "One of the Blood of the Goddess and one of the Spirit of the Hero…"

"Zelda, Princess of Destiny…" the Sage of Water said. Zelda stepped forward and continued to listen with rapt attention. "Listen well. The goddess Hylia was the one who founded the land of Hyrule. She watched over it with care and her descendants still protect it and guide its people. Hylia beget the royal family of Hyrule. Thanks to Veran's recent slaughter of the nobility of Hyrule there is only one member of the royal family left alive. You, Princess Zelda, are descended from Hylia, and her sacred blood has been passed down to you and flows through your veins…"

Zelda gasped in awe and wonder. She could have never guessed that her ancestor was the legendary goddess Hylia herself! This was a legend that even the royal family did not know anymore. The news amazed and bewildered her all at the same time, but the sages went on nonetheless.

"You are the one of the Blood of the Goddess," the Sage of Spirit revealed. "And you shall be one of the two to usher light back into this fallen land…"

"And so, to aid you in this task, princess," the Sage of Light said, extending its arms as a glow began to form around them. "We bestow unto you a weapon that Hylia herself wielded in the ancient war against the dark tribe. Just as there is light to drive away darkness, so too is there benevolence to banish evil. Light and benevolence fill your heart, O Princess of Destiny. And so, we gift you with this Bow of Light to drive away the darkness and evil."

Zelda was compelled to hold out her hands as she stared up at the sages. And no more than a second after she had done so, a perfectly crafted, glowing, sacred bow appeared in her outstretched hands. The moment she touched it, it felt natural, like she was meant to use it. She felt a warm power flow through her as she held onto it and she instantly knew how to use this special bow. She positioned it correctly and as she held her hand near the bowstring, it began to glow in an iridescent light. The shape of a beautiful, yet deadly shining arrow formed in her hand and she knocked it skillfully, aiming for the dark skies above. Contrary to what one would have thought, Zelda was actually quite a capable archer and was adept in using a bow. And perhaps it was the fact that this bow was used by a goddess that gave it added power, but as she released the arrow it few into the sky in a dazzling array of light. The shadowed clouds immediately spit apart as it made contact with them, opening up a large patch of the sky to reveal the true, clear atmosphere. The warm, comforting sun came through the broken darkness and shone down like a beacon of hope.

Zelda lowered her bow and nodded in gratitude to the sages. They returned her nod, as if there was some kind of unspoken understanding between them and their young leader. Up until this point, Link had simply been standing by, watching the exchange with interest, until the sages finally addressed him.

"Link, the Hero of Time…" the Sage of Fire beckoned him, and he stepped forward to stand beside Zelda. "We charge you with the princess' protection. You must keep her alive and safe. The bloodline of Hylia and the royal family must not be allowed to die out. Do you vow to do all in your power to preserve her life, hero?"

Link nodded solemnly, taking Zelda's hand once more. "Yes," he said firmly. "I'll give anything it takes to keep her safe. Even my own life if I have to."

Zelda gasped quietly and looked at him with awe. Her heart began to stir with strong emotions at his virtue and devotion. Devotion to her. And he didn't even hesitate to show it. Her mind was racing and her heart was soaring and she felt dizzy with sudden excitement all at once. And she knew that she had to tell him what she had been keeping in her heart for far too long now.

"Link…" she sighed longingly, a soft, hopeful smile on her face as she began to say what she knew she had to.

"Hero of Time," the sages continued, breaking Zelda's train of thought. She had completely forgotten that they were there! Somewhat embarrassed, she hesitantly let go of Link's hand and took a step back so the sages could speak to him. "There is another matter we must discuss with you. Though the evil banishing light of the princess' arrows will certainly break through Verna's cloud of darkness and significantly weaken her, they will not seal her back into her native realm. There is only one weapon that can banish her back from whence she came: the blade of evil's bane, the Master Sword."

"There is but one able to yield that sacred blade," the Sage of Shadow said. "The one who possesses the spirit of the hero. It is an unbreakable spirit, that has been yielded by generations of Hylian heroes. Though the spirit of the hero is does not exist in flesh, it has been known to be appear frequently in the lineage of the true knights of Hyrule."

"The _true _knights?" Zelda spoke up, questioning what the sages could possibly mean by that.

"Yes," the Sage of Forest nodded. "As you may know, Veran previously invaded the kingdom of Hyrule about seventeen years ago, in the midst of the great Hylian Civil War. In her unending search for the keys to grant her access to the Sacred Realm, she murdered many of those who stood in her way without mercy. Among those caught in her massacres were most of the Sheikah people, along with many high ranking Gorons and Zoras. But by far, her greatest slaughter was that of the old order of the Hylian knights. It was a crime of both hatred and vengeance. In her bloodlust, Veran murdered the knights in their entirety and their families."

"However…" the Sage of Spirit interjected. "She did not murder every last one of them. A lone Hylian woman, a wife of one of the fallen knights, escaped from the fires of war and the great bloodshed. With her newborn babe in arms, the gravely-injured woman fled into the vast forests of Hyrule. There the mother breathed her last, but before she died, she entrusted her child to the care of the guardian of the forest, the Great Deku Tree."

As the sages were telling this tale, Link looked down in grief. He had heard this story before and he knew well who it was about. The woman in the story was _his _mother, whom he had never known because she died immediately after delivering him to the safety of the forest. But if what the sages were saying was true, then that meant that not only was he descended from the Hylian knights, but he was also the only one of their bloodline left. And not only that, but it also meant that Veran was the one responsible for the murder of both of his parents. Just another reason for him to want to bring about her immediate downfall...

"You have most likely figured it out by now, Hero of Time," the Sage of Fire said. "You are the last remaining offspring of the true knights of Hyrule and as such, it is you who possesses the spirit of the hero. You are the only one capable of wielding the blade of evil's bane in battle against the sorceress of shadow in all her might. But remember, both of you, that only your combined strength will be able to defeat her and return peace and light to this land…"

Link and Zelda exchanged a glance, and both of them seemed to know what the other one was thinking. The sages were not _asking _them to take on this heavy task. They were not giving them a choice at all. They were _expecting _them to, without even caring what they thought about the matter. Once again, the responsibility of protecting Hyrule was thrust upon their shoulders and there was little else they could say to change that fact. But Veran had already been so close to killing both of them. They had been lucky to escape with their lives. And now, they were expected to confront her again, this time with the full Triforce at her command. The Master Sword and the Bow of Light where no doubt powerful weapons, but would they be enough to defeat Veran, in all her incredible strength? In dealing with a villain as powerful as her, did simple, inherited mantles, bloodlines and spirits even matter at all?

"You must go now hero…" the Sage of Light commanded. "Go to the Temple of Time and retrieve the Master Sword from its ancient pedestal. You have wielded this blade against Ganondorf, the Gerudo King in the past and we trust that you can use its evil destroying power once again."

Zelda and Link looked to each other once again. They knew that they had little choice in this, but even if they did, then they knew what they would unanimously do. Hyrule needed their strength in this desperate hour. They could not leave the kingdom or its people on their own. And so, they simply nodded to each other in both agreement and resignation.

"Thank you," Zelda said dryly to the sages as they both turned to leave the chamber. What else was there to say really? Destiny had already carved out their fates, and there was no arguing with destiny, a fact that both the hero and the princess knew well. They had been caught up in fate's cycle, and though it may have been against their will, it was their duty to redeem the fallen kingdom and its frightened people. They had to stand as a beacon of hope, even if they didn't have any themselves.

"Wait another moment Hero of Time…" the Sage of Water stopped both Link and Zelda in their tracks. Link turned to face them once more, but Zelda only paused for a moment, before continuing out of the atrium. The sages had nothing more to say to her apparently, but there was something else as well. A certain anxiousness was eating away at her, and she needed a few minutes to think everything through on her own. And so she quietly left the atrium, unnoticed by both the sages and the hero. She found a nearby rock to sit on in the sand near the structure and looked up into the golden sunlight spilling through the break in the clouds her light arrows had made. There was some hope in such a glow, she was sure; however, she had only one hope that was certain. Her hope was standing inside of that atrium, listening to the instruction of the sages. So, she patiently waited for him to return to her, mulling over what she intended to say when he came out. Zelda had never felt so lost and so found at the same time. Her mind was racing with nervousness and once more she felt lightheaded and dizzy. Determination warmed her and fear chilled her. The words of the sages weighed heavy on her heart, but so did other words. Words that if left unsaid, she would forever regret if either of them met their ends in the near future, which was a very real possibility. Words that she had known to be true for a long time. Words that could change everything between the two of them.

* * *

"Hero of Time," the Sage of Forest said to Link, who was still within the atrium. "We must tell you something that could greatly affect the future of this land, the princess, and your own life as well. Though the Master Sword and the Bow of Light hold the combined power to seal Veran away, there is but one power that can destroy her. It is a power that you are familiar with, and one you have wielded before in the past."

"It is not of this land…" the Sage of Water said. "But of a world parallel to Hyrule, the land of Termina. It is the spirit of the Fierce Deity…"

Upon mention of the same power that he had borrowed from to defeat Majora's Mask, Link's expression hardened. He had left the Fierce Deity's Mask in Termina when he left, be he had made sure it was hidden away. He knew how strong it's terrifying powers were and if they were to be abused, it would have spelled the end of Termina, which he had worked so hard to prevent.

"The might of the Fierce Deity is great and god-like," the Sage of Shadow said. "It would be enough to defeat Veran forever, even with the immense power granted to her by the Triforce. But beware hero, for the power of the Fierce Deity is a soul-corrupting one. We do not recommend calling upon its power, but if you find that you must, do not lose your own soul to its strength. Do you understand, Hero of Time?"

Link simply nodded, knowing well the great risks that came along with wearing that mask. He had almost succumbed to it seven years ago and the last thing he needed would be to succumb to it now. And yet, if the Fierce Deity's Mask had the power to completely annihilate the threat that Veran posed… if he could use its power to permanently protect Zelda from her treachery… Would that make those risks worth it? Would he loose his soul to save her life?

The sages said nothing more, as vanished away into thin air, giving him unspoken permission to leave. And slowly, he did so, exiting the atrium and looking to the left to find a sight that he found incredibly beautiful. Zelda sat on a large stone, basking in the golden rays of sunlight. Her blonde braided hair, though slightly disheveled, glistened in the glow and though her overall appearance was that of a rough Sheikah warrior, her silhouette was a thing of great beauty. Her eyes were shut in quiet contemplation as Link slowly approached her and she did not open them to look at him when he sat down beside her.

For several minutes, they both just sat there in the returned sun, thinking over everything that the sages had told them and how difficult it all was. They had already been through so much, so much heartache, so much bloodshed, so much dread. They were both still so young, and had lived through things that people older and more experienced than them would not have made it through. They seemed to dwell in inescapable danger, with only each other to cling onto now. And more than anything else, they both just wanted it to all be over right then and there.

"It's not fair…" Zelda whispered, her eyes closed and her mouth set in a calm, yet sad frown.

"It's not…" Link sighed, still bothered by the fact that he might have to use the frightful power of the Fierce Deity's Mask once more.

"We never asked for this," Zelda said bitterly. "We never asked for any of this. Neither of us asked for the Triforce pieces. We couldn't have known what Veran had been planning. We didn't ask to be the only ones who could stop her. So why are we?"

Link looked away from her in grief, knowing that he couldn't give her an answer no matter how hard he tried. He understood what the sages had told them, about everything, but it was still bewildering. It wasn't fair that they had been thrust into this situation simply because destiny had dictated it, and what was even more unfair was the fact that they could do little to stop what had already been set in motion. "I don't know…" he muttered, giving her the only answer that he could think of.

"Link…" she said, fear and despondency in her almost tearful tone. "What if we can't do it? What… what she kills us…? What if… what if we… die…?"

The heartbreak in her voice was almost too much for him to bear. Link quickly turned to look back at Zelda and almost broke upon seeing the tears falling from her falsely amber eyes. She looked him in the eyes with so much misery and despair that he couldn't stand to see her alone for another moment. He gently wrapped his arms around her and held her close as she trembled and sobbed into his shoulder, trying to wash away the horrors of the past several days as he tried to give her simple security.

"We can't think in 'what ifs'," he whispered to her, trying to ease her fears as best as he could. "We have to think in 'what wills'."

As Link said these somehow hopeful words, Zelda finally wiped a few of her tears, though her eyes were still puffy from crying. Slowly she looked up to her hero, who was gazing down at her with concern and sorrow that seemed to be almost equal to hers. But there was something else in those blue eyes of his as well… Two things actually. Conflict was the first thing she had noticed, though she had no idea where it could be coming from. And then there was fearlessness .The same fearlessness and courage that he had in almost every situation. Courage in the face of the absolute uncertain. And Zelda knew that she had to borrow that courage to not only survive in the long run, but for the next few words she was about to say. "Link…" she said in a lofty whisper, her voice slightly trembling. She placed a gentle hand on his cheek and the moment he smiled softly at her was when she received her final confirmation and bust of courage. "I… I love you…"

* * *

_At the entrance to Hyrule's vast forest region was where Link and Zelda dismounted Epona. They both paused and hesitated for a moment before heading through the large hallow log that was the gateway to the woods. They exchanged a brief glance, before both taking in a deep breath and slowly heading in the hallowed log._

_Zelda's breath immediately caught as she walked across the simple bridge that connected Hyrule Field to the forest. Trees guarded the sunlight from breaking through too heavily and in the shade of the tall trees, glittering balls of light, known as fairies, easily flittered about in random directions. And while the princess was enamored with the beauty of this simple place, Link simply kept his gaze fixated on the path ahead that lead to Kokiri Village. The first home he had ever known, the home he used to think he'd never have to leave, and the home that he had been hesitant to return to ever since he met Zelda. _

_As the two children finally entered the humble Kokiri Village, they were met with a strange silence. The natural sounds of the forest, such as birdsong and rustling leaves were still abundant, but the laughter and calls of the forest children that Link was so accustomed to here. No Kokiri was in sight, which was an odd thing considering the race of forest children were almost always wandering about the village at this time of day._

"_Where is everyone?" Zelda dared to whisper, afraid of breaking the almost sacred stillness that lingered in the forest._

"_I don't know," Link said plainly, glancing around at the houses of the friends that he had grown up among, which were no doubt empty. Where could the Kokiri be hiding, and why? _

_Zelda remained silent as she took in the sights of the peaceful, calm, empty village. Meanwhile, Link glanced around once more, looking for even a sign of one certain Kokiri, and even listening to see if her iconic song was echoing through the trees. He wasn't sure why, but he knew that she must have been watching him, both of them really, and silently wondering why he had brought an outsider here. And that was a wondering that he really couldn't answer with anything other than the bright, contented, amazed smile of the princess as she experienced a place he had always known for the first time, with the same excited eyes that he had first experienced her world with. It was because of their mutual curiosity and because of their strong, young friendship. And though it was simple, it was really the only answer the young hero could think of._

* * *

**So, looks like i left you guys on a CLIFFHANGER! :D Anyway, I like to call this chapter one of the several "big exposition chapters" because those silly sages just go on and on, right? here's a fun fact: I was listening to the soundtrack for Les Miserables while i was writing this for some reason, and towards the end of this chapter, I was listening to the song "a heart full of love", which was so fitting! I recommend you look it up, even if you've never seen Les Mis before! :D So, what do you guys think? Liking the romance? Liking everything else? leave me a review! Oh, and BTW, I'm still looking for a Beta Reader for this story, so PM me if you think you could help me improve this story! Until next time! :D**


	24. The Spirit of the Blade

_Chapter 23_

"I love you." Three words that were so simple, yet so beautiful. And the moment she said them, he didn't even need to ask himself if he felt the same. He had always known that his devotion to her was so much more than just simple loyalty, but until now, he had never been able to admit it for some reason or another. But mere seconds after she said it, before he could even open his mouth to return her proclamation, the storm of darkness struck without a single warning.

Only a few feet away from where Link and Zelda were sitting, a bolt of hot violet lightning crashed down, the break in the dark clouds above refilling with evil. Violent winds began to stir the rough sands of the desert around them and booming thunder crashed throughout the area. It was clear that this was no natural storm, but instead it must have been sent by Veran. Perhaps she knew that the two of them were there, but even if she didn't then they still had to hurry out of the rushing winds, blowing sands, and raging lightning and into safety.

Without a second thought, both of them were on their feet, running back across the desert in the general direction of the Spirit Temple. Neither one of them was able to shout a word over the roaring thunder, lest they receive a mouthful of sand, which was blowing across the desert so thick it felt like a lingering fog. They held on tightly to each other's hands for dear life, using their free arms to shield their eyes from the sand. After what felt like hours of pushing through the tossing winds and dodging the erratic lightning, they somehow managed to make it to the temple and found refuge from the storm in its entrance.

"Veran…" Link growled in knowing contempt once he had caught his breath.

Zelda nodded, panting heavily from the long run. "Oh goddesses…" she said, her eyes widening in realization a moment later. "You don't think she's found us… Do you?"

Link glanced out of the temple into the still raging sandstorm and found no sign of the sorceress. "No," he told Zelda, shaking his head. "I don't see her, but we can't be certain that she's not out there."

Zelda sighed, closing her eyes to think for a moment. "I don't think this is the kind of storm that we can just weather out…" she said, looking to the door of the temple. "She's trying to corner us. She knows everything the sages just told us and she knows that if she can kill us, there will be no stopping her."

"So what should we do?"

The princess sighed, leaning her head against the wall of the temple. She had only one idea and it was one that she didn't want to go through with at all. But she knew that it was their best chance at the moment. The ocarina and the harp would do little to get them out of the desert at the moment, due to the storm's evil interference. If they tried to go through it all on their own, they'd probably be separated anyway. There was little time to loose and they needed to stay out of Veran's detection for as long as possible. "I think we should split up…" Zelda murmured loud enough for Link to hear.

"What?" he asked, having no idea where such an idea came from. How would he be able to protect her if they weren't together? "Why?"

She took in a deep breath. "If we travel together, Veran is sure to find us and kill us both," she said firmly, though on the inside, her heart was breaking. She desperately didn't want to leave Link's side for a moment, but at this impasse, she knew that she had to. For the sake of the kingdom and for the sake of both of their lives. "It will be easier for us to get of the desert on our own, without having to worry about the other. At the very least, it will save us some time."

"But Zelda-" Link began to protest.

"Please Link…" Zelda looked down sadly. "It won't be for that long. And besides," she gave him a small smile. "I know how to handle myself." She motioned to the Bow of Light that was strapped to her back. "Now, you go to the Temple of Time and get the Master Sword. I'll meet you there before dusk tomorrow. I promise."

For a moment, the hero simply looked into the pleading red eyes of the disguised princess. He couldn't bear to part ways with her, especially after everything that had happened and what she had just revealed to him. But he knew she was right; she always was. Separating for now would be the quickest, easiest, and safest method. "Alright," he nodded with little emotion. "But be careful."

Zelda smiled as she raised her face coverings once more. "I've told you that so many times before…" she said, reminiscing over days long gone. "And you'd always tell me the same thing. So now, I'm going to say it to you: I'm never careful; it's too boring."

Link laughed warmly and opened his arms to her, which she flew into immediately. Their embrace was bittersweet, for neither one wanted it to end, but they knew it had to. And gradually it did; they let go of their comforting hold on one another, and began to go their separate ways. Sheik stayed standing within the temple, taking out a Deku Nut to disappear with as she watched Link head for the exit, to the raging storm outside. But before he left, he turned to say one final thing to her, something that she had been longing to hear for so long. "Zelda," he said with a light, joyous smile on his face. "I love you too."

* * *

Sheik stood in the shadows near the gate that lead to the Gerudo Fortress and rested, having just pushed her way through the violent storm. She was covered in sand from head to toe, and her hair was filthy with the course, grainy stuff. But at the moment, she couldn't have cared less. She had barely noticed the racing winds and crashing thunder at all. Her heart was soaring and she felt as if she were on top of the world. There was nothing that could bring her down from the complete and utter elation she was feeling. She had been smiling blissfully ever since he said it, and long after he had left her alone in the Spirit Temple. There was no storm that could make her fear anymore and there was no darkness that could destroy her happiness. He loved her too! With that simple confirmation, all the fear and angst that had accumulated within her heart had melted away entirely. In its place, indestructible hope and happiness had formed, making everything else fade into the distance. She counted the moments until she could be by his side again, until they could hold each other's hands again, until…

"Your highness!" a sharp, familiar whisper hissed as someone grabbed onto her arm tightly, breaking her train of thought and catching her off guard.

Glancing at who had somehow found her, Sheik turned to look into the incredibly displeased face of Impa and her unbreakable ecstasy suddenly shattered. Remembering her previous distaste with her, Sheik scowled at her guardian with the same look of fierce anger that Impa was giving her, not about to back down.

"What?" Sheik asked crossly, pulling her arm out of Impa's firm grasp.

Impa, though somewhat taken aback at the princess' rare disrespect, crossed her arms and looked at her disapprovingly. "Why did you leave?" she asked calmly, though she still looked at Sheik piercingly. "I told you to stay in the village. And yet you and Link ran off here to the desert without even leaving a sign. Don't you know how dangerous these times are? Veran could have-"

"We were fine!" Sheik exclaimed independently. "We were just… meeting with someone…"

"Who?"

"I don't have to tell you," Sheik proclaimed stubbornly, turning away from the guardian. "Just like you thought you didn't have to tell me about Veran's invasion of Hyrule years ago. Or how she murdered all of your people and the old knights. Or about all of these secrets that you've been hiding from me for my entire life."

"Zelda…" Impa muttered in slight awe at the princess' strange manner, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What's gotten into you?"

Sheik pulled her shoulder away roughly. "I don't know," she said bitterly. "I guess I just don't like being lied to by someone who I should be able to trust. By someone who I used to look up to. Someone who still treats me like I'm an innocent child, when I'm not. Someone… someone who I don't need any more…"

Sheik's final statement hung on the echoing wind for several still moments. She did not turn to see what Impa's reaction was; a part of her was trying to believe that she didn't care while the other part couldn't bring herself to look. But when she finally did turn around, she found that the Sheikah guardian had completely vanished without saying a word or leaving a trace.

Guilt suddenly began to eat away at Sheik. In her anger and frustration, she had sent her loyal protector away. Impa had always been supportive of her, even when her own father had not been. But at the same time, Impa had also lied to her, keeping secrets from her that, had she known them, they could have prevented any of this from happening. And perhaps it was true that she didn't need Impa to protect her anymore. She had grown up, and in many ways, she was able to take care of herself. She didn't need someone constantly watching out for her. But even so, she was still conflicted about whether or not she had been right.

With so many things uncertain, Sheik wondered if there was anything she could truly put her trust in any more. But then she remembered the one hope that she had to cling to in the face of her doubt. Link. Her hero, who had said that he would do anything to keep her safe. Her hero, who had always stood by her side. Her hero, who had never hidden anything from her. Her hero, whom she longed to be near more than anyone else. And even though she was troubled, as she found a nook to rest in for the night, she smiled as she thought of his words of love. Her much-needed slumber was filled with dreams of when they would meet again the next day, chasing her grief and sorrow away once more.

* * *

Link had fought his way through the sandstorm as quickly as he could, wanting to reunite with Zelda in Castle Town as quickly as possible. The moment he stepped out onto the still silence of Hyrule Field, he used the ocarina to call Epona and brought her to a full gallop across the wide hills. The sooner he was together with Zelda, the better; not just for her safety, but also for the fact that he wanted nothing more than to be near her once more, especially now that their feelings for each other had been confirmed.

Link finally did slow Epona down considerably when he caught sight of the demolished ruins of Castle Town in the distance. The tall spires of the grand castle towers no longer existed though the walls that surrounded the city somehow still stood. The widespread destruction that the princess had described to him was well represented by the empty, somber scene that lay beyond the still-standing gate. Upon seeing the senseless devastation, Link was reminded of a sight quite similar to this, when Castle Town had been razed by Ganondorf in another time. The only difference was that this time, there were no other living souls within the vicinity aside from the hero; no man or beast had dared to venture into the ominous debris. Save for one…

"Goddesses!" A familiar voice cried out in shock from the distance behind him as he walked through what had once been the town's bustling square. "Link, is that you?"

Link quickly spun around to find the last person he expected to find here running towards him. "Malon?" he called out her, confused as to why she had come here all alone. "What are you doing here? It's not safe."

The farm girl smirked at him, brushing a stray piece of red hair out of her face. She was filthy, her dress torn to the point that it almost looked like soiled rags. Her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail and her face was marked with splotches of dirt. And yet her blue eyes were still bright and cheerful as they always were, despite her unkempt state. "I could ask you the same thing…" she said, glancing around at the wreckage. "I heard about the attack a few days ago and I just had to see it for myself to see if it was true. It took some doing, but I managed to sneak away from dad a little while ago. Ever since these clouds came, things haven't been easy on the ranch or the rest of Hyrule really. All the animals took off to who knows where and our house caught fire the other day. Food and supplies have been pretty scarce, so I figured maybe I could salvage something from here, but clearly I was wrong. Everything seems to be pretty dead around here except for you."

"You should go home, Malon," Link said firmly. "There could still be danger around here."

Malon chuckled easily. "I don't think anything's gonna jump out of us, Link," she said, grinning at him teasingly. "Now why don't you explain to me why _you're _here, fairy boy?"

Link hesitated for a moment before answering her vaguely. "I have to pick something up."

"Here?" Malon scoffed. "In this mess? I doubt it. You must think you're pretty good at keeping secrets, huh fairy boy? Well unfortunately for you, I'm good at getting answers, so start talking."

"I don't have time for this, Malon," Link said, trying not to sound too impatient with his long time friend. But it was true; time was of the essence. He needed to get the Master Sword as quickly as possible and he didn't have time to explain the whole story to Malon, who probably wouldn't even believe him anyway.

"That's fine," she said coyly. "You may not have any time, but I've got plenty. I'm not going anywhere. And no, you can't make me go home."

"Malon…" the hero groaned in exasperation. "Go home."

"Didn't you just hear me?" she said, crossing her arms and giving him a stubborn look. "I'm not leaving. I'm going to follow you whether you let me or not."

Seeing that the farm girl was unrelenting in her resolve, Link finally sighed in defeat. "Fine," he said, much to Malon's pleasure. "You can come. But stay with me and don't wander off."

Malon rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I'm not a little kid, Link," she said. "But still, I wouldn't dream of it."

By this point, the two of them had started to walk in the direction of the Temple of Time. Along the way, Malon attempted once more to get some form of an explanation out of Link. "So where exactly are we going?"

"The Temple of Time," Link said bluntly.

"Really?" Malon looked towards the direction of the still standing temple with intrigue. "Why?"

The hero took in a deep breath. "It's hard to explain," he said. "Let's just say that there's something there that I was told to go get."

"Who asked you to get it?" she asked with curiosity. "Let me guess… The princess?"

Link shook his head. "No," he said, his thoughts turning to Zelda and their hopeful reunion in the near future.

"It's sad really…" Malon sighed, casting a pitiful glance at the fallen castle. "Right before the attack, I heard that many people from Castle Town and Kakariko Village were starting riots against the princess for no reason. Dad thinks that it was the rebels who caused the destruction here, but I don't think this is something that the people were responsible for…"

"They weren't…" Link muttered, imaging Veran tearing the town to shreds with little mercy.

"Huh?" Malon asked, not hearing him.

"Nothing," he said, brushing the subject aside.

The farm girl seemed to want to question him, but she simply shrugged and continued on with what she was saying. "Anyway, strange things have been happening all over Hyrule I hear. Monsters are wandering all over the place, and every one's running around like a cucco with its head cut off. I don't get why everyone would just start turning against Princess Zelda for no reason. She's always been fair and kind to all of the people. I've never had anything against her. Well… except for one thing maybe…"

"What?" Link asked, having a vague idea about what she meant and suddenly feeling guilty about it.

The farm girl gave him no answer, instead turning to look away from him despite the fact that they walked side by side.

"Malon?"

"Its fine," she said with a hint of grief in her tone. "Looks like we're here."

Link hadn't even noticed that they had arrived at the steps of the Temple of Time. Neither of them said a word as they entered through its large doors and into the sacred stillness of the undefiled structure, their footsteps echoing as they walked through the long main hall. Malon's eyes widened in awe as she took in the temple's immaculate interior. Few Hylians of common status had actually had the privilege of entering into this holy structure. Most of the time, it remained untouched by the people, its outer towers serving as a reminder to the people of the ancient goddesses' power. On the rare chance that people were permitted to enter it, it was usually for the purpose of a special occasion, such as a noble wedding or a distinguished ceremony. And so, very few people knew of the existence of the Door of Time that rested within its walls, and even fewer knew about what rested behind that door.

In a tight silence, Link and Malon hurried to the opened Door of Time. Malon had no idea what they could be looking for behind it, but Link knew exactly what he was going to find. After all, he was the very one who had opened that door in the first place years ago. And, as it had all those years ago, the Master Sword sat proudly within its pedestal, it's pure metal glistening in the light coming in through the high window. Upon entering in through the door, Malon did not follow Link any further towards the pedestal, somehow knowing that this chamber was much too sacred for her to be going into. So instead, she remained standing within the doorway and watched as the hero slowly approached the blade of evil's bane.

As he had seven years prior, Link once again stood before the Master Sword nestled within the Pedestal of Time, only this time, the circumstances were different and far more grave. Instead of trying to prevent Ganondorf from stealing the Triforce, he now sought to defeat Veran who already had it. But there was something else different about this time as well. The moment the hero touched the hilt of the sword, its full length began to glow in a blinding light, sacred power seeming to pulsate from it. The light was so strong that Malon had to shield her eyes from it and Link was forced to back away from the blade and do the same.

When the light finally dimmed a moment later, both of them gasped in surprise and awe at the sight they now saw. A strange figure floated above the Master Sword, feminine and somewhat angelic in its appearance. The being seemed to have no arms, but was kept aloft by what looked to be a fluttering blue and violet cloak. Underneath this cloak was its curvaceous figure and delicate legs, which bore a design similar to the blue bands on the hilt of the Master Sword. The skin on its feminine face was blue and its expression was emotionless yet calculating. Its entire body seemed to shimmer in the same manner as the Master Sword did as it gazed down at the two of them with its vacant, pupil-less eyes. Neither Link nor Malon had ever seen a being like this before, and neither of them moved an inch lest its ethereal form vanish away.

"I have waited many years for you, Hero of Time," the being said in a melodious, yet robotic tone. "For eons, I have slumbered within this sacred blade, awaiting a new hero. In days considered ancient to your people, I aided the hero of the goddess Hylia in his quest to restore peace to this land. I am the spirit who dwells within this blade. My personal designation is Fi."

Suddenly, the spirit stopped her speech and turned her cold gaze from Link to the stunned Malon and kept it there for quite some time. Under that piercing scrutiny, the farm girl suddenly felt as though she was intruding on something that she had no part in, and slowly started to back her way out of the chamber. Link gave her a look that told her to stay, but Malon simply smiled softly and shook her head, silently heading back into the main part of the temple to wait for him, leaving the hero alone with the spirit of the blade.

"Listen well, Hero of Time," Fi said once Malon had left. "I entered into an endless rest within the Master Sword centuries ago. It was to be a sleep without end, but I was awakened by my previous master when the Dark Interlopers besieged the land in search of the Triforce. When the Interlopers were banished into the shadows, the Hylia and golden goddesses decreed that I would arise from my slumber if they ever attacked the land again, so that I could aid the chosen hero in defeating them. And so, once again I have awoken to aid the chosen hero in his quest to banish the darkness and restore light."

Link listened carefully to every word the mystical spirit said to him, but something else was nagging at him too. With every mechanical word Fi said, he felt as though he had met her somewhere before, but of course he knew that he had never even seen her before. And yet for some reason, she seemed so familiar, as though he had known her his entire life.

"Hero destined to revive this dying land…" Fi continued. "Take up this sword once more and use it to banish the cloud of evil shadowing this kingdom."

The spirit glided back a few feet, clearing Link's path to the sword. Following her instructions, he drew the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, its familiar weight feeling natural in his hand. After giving it an experimental swing, he looked back to Fi, whose gaze had not moved from him at all.

"Master Link…" she said quietly, her steady, emotionless tone seeming to break for a brief moment. In fact, her synthetic voice almost seemed wistful and reminiscing. But if her tight focus did break, she quickly righted herself and returned to her former impersonal manner. "I apologize," Fi said to him, bowing slightly. "A memory temporarily resurfaced in my data banks of someone I once knew… Hero, you must go now and reunite with the descendant of the goddess. With your combined strength, the downfall of the sorceress of shadows is nigh. The full power of the Master Sword has been awakened and it is now strong enough to seal the evil one away. So go now and redeem this land, in power, in wisdom, and in courage."

Link smiled gratefully at Fi and nodded, finding hope in her reserved words. He knew that what she said could be trusted without question; the spirit of the sword seemed to emanate great wisdom from her very being. According to her, the Master Sword had enough strength to defeat Veran. Maybe he wouldn't have to use the Fierce Deity's Mask after all.

"Before I return to the sword to travel with you," Fi said. "I must tell you something, hero. When I entered into my initial slumber after aiding Hylia's chosen hero, I made a wish that I hoped would come true in a future time. And, as I meet with you now, I can see that it has finally come to pass." A ghost of a smile seemed to appear on Fi's otherwise unchanging lips as she looked up cryptically. "Master…" she said in almost a whisper, but there was clear happiness in her tone this time. She did not look at Link, but he could tell that she was speaking to both him and to someone else who was unknown and unseen. "We have met again in another life…"

With her final words relayed, Fi suddenly flew gracefully towards the ceiling of the temple. After forming a artful flip high in the air, she dove back down towards the Master Sword at a great speed. She collided with the hilt of the blade, which was strapped to Link's back, and returned to her vessel.

Link glanced back to the sword in silence, knowing that he would not hear another word from the mysterious Fi. To anyone else, her final statement could have been confusing, but for some reason, the hero understood. He didn't know why, but he felt connected to the strange, calculating spirit that silently dwelled within the blade he yielded. And now that he knew of her existence, he felt as though she had watched over him when he used the Master Sword before and she would watch over him now, almost like a guardian angel. A constant companion, one who was so strange, yet so comfortingly familiar at the same time. So, as Link prepared to leave the sword chamber and rejoin Malon, he cast one final glance back at the still glowing hilt of the blade, knowing that Fi rested within it, helping him as she had helped the ancient hero who preceded him. And the least he could do was show her a little gratitude as he smiled gratefully and gave the spirit credit where it was due. "Thank you," the hero whispered solemnly and sincerely. "Thank you, Fi…"

* * *

_A set of saddened blue eyes watched from her spot near the ranch entrance as the young horse that she had raised since birth galloped by in the distance, coming from the direction of the forest and bearing two riders on its back. One was the privileged young princess of the land, whom all little girls across the kingdom looked up to and wished to be. And the other, was someone that the young farm girl had been thinking about for quite some time. Someone who she could tease and play with whenever he came by. Someone who she had eyes only for. Someone who probably saw her as nothing more than a friend. _

"_It's not fair…" she whispered to herself, with a mournful frown on her face. While most girls where jealous of Princess Zelda because of her status or her wealth, Malon was jealous for another reason altogether. She was jealous because she knew, that no matter how much she tried to charm the young hero, his affections already lied with the princess. But even so, Malon was hopelessly enamored with him. She was at her happiest whenever he happened to visit the ranch, but when he would go, she was left alone once more, dreaming of who she saw as her knight in shining armor despite his lack of armor. She knew they were both young, but she couldn't help feeling drawn to one of the few actual friends her age that she had been able to have due to her busy life of hard farm work._

"_Poor, tragic Malon…" she whispered longingly as Epona trotted out of sight carrying Link and Zelda. "Always having to work so hard for nothing… Always daydreaming about what she'll never have… But maybe it's for the best." Malon took in a painful sigh, knowing that if that was true, it still hurt nonetheless. "After all, maybe that's just how it's meant to be…"_

* * *

**Wow! This chapter was really dense, wasn't it? I mean, we got romance, and Impa, and Malon and even Fi! What'd you guys think of that? Well, I'm just gonna say, that the next chapter is gonna be pretty tragic, so brace yourselves! Anyway, leave me all the reviews you want! I'm loving the feedback from everyone! Until next time! :D**


	25. A Little Fall of Rain

_Chapter 24_

In the empty darkness of Hyrule Field, Sheik walked in a lonely and swift silence, feeling hopeful and guilty at the same time. Her regret came from her fallout with Impa, though at the same time she was still fuming about everything that had happened. And of course, she was anxious and excited about reuniting with Link, more than she ever had been before. She knew that of course, things would be different between them now, but that was fine with her. In fact, she was certain that now, they would be even better.

Sheik was a good ways off from the destroyed Castle Town, and she had no idea of the time thanks to the dark cover of clouds. An unsettling stillness lingered across the landscape, sending the occasional shiver down her spine and causing her to glance over her shoulder every now and then to make sure she was not being followed. She was certainly thankful that the Bow of Light was securely strapped to her back and that she had a limitless supply of sacred arrows, so if danger were to befall her, she'd be able to ward it off.

As Sheik was lost in thought, a distant howl sounded in the distance with several more immediately following in response, breaking the thick silence of the field. The disguised princess stopped and turned to the east, towards the direction that the wild cry had come from, positioning her bow and watching tentatively to see what would emerge over the nearby hill. As she moved her hand over the bowstring to form her first arrow, the first creature peered its head over the peak of the hill. Sheik took in a sharp breath when she recognized what the beast was: a wolfos. Its large yellow eyes casted a piecing glow through the darkness as they locked their hungry gaze on Sheik. But she wasted no time; before the monster could even charge at her, she had sent the light arrow flying and it hit its mark squarely in the forehead.

No more than a second after the first wolfos collapsed to the ground in defeat, another set of shrill howls echoed across the landscape. Sheik already had another arrow knocked as several more wolfos took the place of the fallen one, this time racing down the face of the hill straight at her. She let several arrows soar in succession, taking down quite a few of them. But even so, the army of wolfos kept coming over the hill, their pack seeming to have no end. Sheik knew that no matter how many of them she downed, they'd eventually clear the distance between them and be able to attack her directly. And so, deciding that fleeing would be smarter than fighting, she took off in the opposite direction, her fast feet giving her a good advantage as she ran for the thicket of trees that was less than a mile away.

As Sheik ran, she didn't dare take a single glance back at the hunting creatures, and unfortunately that was her fatal mistake. Something suddenly latched down painfully on her ankle, pulling her down to the ground. Finally looking back, she saw that one of the wolfos had entrapped her leg in its sharp fangs. In a panic, Sheik used her free leg to kick the beast in its snout, stumbling to her feet as the wolfos released its iron grip. She began to flee once more, only this time, she had to endure the intense pain of her bleeding ankle. Terrified and exhausted beyond reason, Sheik knew that true escape in this condition would be futile. And so, she continued to hurriedly limp into the thicket of trees, praying that she could find a few moments refuge there before the monsters came to tear her apart.

Growing dizzy and weak from fatigue and stress, Sheik crashed into one of the thick trees and collapsed against it, sliding down to the ground with ragged breaths. The huge pack of wolfos approached her slowly, savoring the fact that they had finally caught up to their elusive prey. In one final attempt to chase the creatures off, she sat with her back against the tree and aimed her bow at them, but before she could even create an arrow, one of the larger wolfos leaped at her, pinning her to the tree and knocking the bow out of her reach.

Sheik was cornered, with no way to defend herself and it was at that moment that she knew she was going to die. The hunger and bloodlust of the wolfos' glowing eyes surveyed her slowly, as if trying to see which part of her it wanted to tear into first. Sheik closed her eyes and moved her head away from the beast, her heart racing hysterically and clenching her fists in dreadful anticipation of the slow, painful onslaught.

But it never came. The wolfos' grip on her suddenly dissipated altogether as it let out a distressed screech. Several more yelps followed and tentatively, Sheik finally opened her eyes to find her rescuer.

"Impa!" she gasped in surprise upon seeing her guardian stand between her and the pack of beasts. Impa did not turn to face the disguised princess, but rather used her short blade to take out several of the wolfos at once. But even so, they kept coming, hungry for flesh.

"Zelda, run!" Impa commanded sharply as she counterattacked one of the beasts that leapt for her.

"But Impa-" Sheik began to protest, not wanting to leave Impa alone in a battle that she couldn't possibly win. All of her previous anger towards the Sheikah guardian had vanished the moment she saw that she had come back to aid her in this dire moment.

"No," Impa cut her off, glancing behind her only for a moment as she tossed the reclaimed Bow of Light back to Sheik. "Go. Now!

Sheik took in a sharp breath, but nodded upon seeing the seriousness in Impa's expression. She rose to her feet clumsily, but as she attempted to take a step, she recoiled in pain from the pain in her ankle. Impa took notice of this, and quickly used a bit of Sheikah magic to create a temporary energy barrier between the two of them and the pack of wolfos.

Impa finally turned to Sheik, speaking quickly for she knew that the barrier would not protect them forever. "Hold still," she ordered. Sheik did so as Impa placed her fingertips on the princess' forehead. A warm comfort ran through her injured ankle, as her eye color reverted to their original blue and her hair returned to its original length. Zelda wasn't sure why Impa was taking her disguise as Sheik away, but she knew that it must be for the best. Impa quickly took a small pile of clothing that was strapped to her back and handed it to Zelda. "Wear these from now on. And remember to stay hidden."

Zelda nodded as Impa continued. "Zelda…" she said, looking down in sudden grief. "I'm sorry for any distrust that has arisen between us. But know that ever since you were born, my sole duty has been to ensure your safety. And I'm going to fulfill that duty to the very letter. But in my absence, I know that you'll be in good hands." She smiled softly and took a brief glance in the direction of Castle Town but Zelda didn't follow her. She understood what Impa was implying, but the part that was meant to comfort her certainly did not.

"Impa…" Zelda said tearfully. "No… You're not going to… Please don't…"

Impa placed a consoling hand on the saddened princess' shoulder. "Zelda," she said. "Don't fret. Do remember what I used to tell you when you were little? About hope?"

Zelda wiped her damp eyes for a moment and looked up at the warm, comforting face of her lifelong protector. "That… As long as there's light to banish darkness… it can never extinguish hope…"

Impa nodded. "Yes. And in the face of the darkness that now covers Hyrule, the two of you are the only lights that can banish it and bring hope back to the people who sorely need it."

Zelda could find nothing to say. She knew that this parting between the two of them would be forever. That Impa would undoubtedly loose her life trying to protect her. And out of everything that she was feeling all at once, guilt was the strongest of them all. Guilt for mistrusting Impa, guilt for the fact that it was because of her that Impa would perish, guilt for ever saying that she didn't need her. Impa had been the closest thing to a mother that Zelda had ever known and now she was losing her.

Seeing the princess' clear despair, the Sheikah guardian pulled her into a protective hug. "I am so proud of you," Impa said warmly. "You have grown up to be wise and brave, and I know that you will guide this kingdom into an age of prosperity."

Zelda could not stop the tears from coming. She couldn't bear to lose someone so important to her, but she knew there was nothing she could do. "Thank you Impa…" she said mournfully. "For everything."

No more than a second later, one of the wolfos lunged at the barrier, creating a large crack in it. Acting quickly, Impa quickly pulled out a Deku Nut and prepared to throw it down. "Princess Zelda," she said, looking the princess in the eyes for the last time. "It has been an honor to serve you." With these final words, the Sheikah threw the nut down in front of Zelda, teleporting her away from the pack of wolfos and onto the nearby walls of Castle Town. From this perch, she could still make out the thicket where she had just been and could see ravenous pack of wolfos, but Impa was nowhere in sight.

Tears falling from her eyes, Zelda watched the shapes of the monsters tear their prey apart. No matter how hard she tried, she could not rip her eyes away from the horrendous sight. Only a few moments later, a triumphant howl rose above the sounds of carnage and it was then that Zelda was certain that Impa had fallen. Taking in a trembling breath, she finally pulled her eyes away, unable to watch any longer. Instead, she looked down and slowly collapsed to her knees in anguish. Burying her face into her hands, she wept harder than she ever had before.

Impa was gone. One of the only people in the world who she trusted completely. And yet, there had been a moment of doubt, where she questioned the infallible guidance of her loyal guardian. Where she had turned against one of the few people left who were still on her side. And yet, even though Zelda had turned against Impa, and had rejected her protection, Impa had still been there when the princess needed her most, just as she had always done. And it had been because of that that the last true member of the Sheikah was now dead. And Zelda could only blame herself.

And yet the princess mourned not only for the sacrifice of her fallen guardian. She mourned for her lost kingdom, shrouded in darkness, which she also took the blame for. She mourned for her confused, terrified people, whose hearts were falsely turned against her. She mourned for the fact that she was one of the only two people in the entire world who could possibly put a stop to it all.

A steady rain began to fall from the black heavens as Zelda finally looked up into them in sorrow. How frivolous her life had been until now! Until this point, all she had ever known was contentment and privilege, her greatest hardships being minor grievances compared to the suffering that she now endured. Never before had she faced great trials and tribulations. Never had misfortune fallen upon her. She had been so naïve and innocent before. But now, upon witnessing the death of her sole mother figure, Zelda's view of the world began to change. All her life, she had been sheltered from true pain and suffering, but as she experienced those things now, she finally understood what those they really meant. And as she did, she realized that in a world that hated her, she could really only turn to two people anymore. Firstly, herself, though she knew that if that she depended solely on herself than she was bound to fail. But thankfully, the other person she depended on was not too far away, somewhere within the ruins of Castle Town. Someone, who unlike her, knew hardship and pain. Someone who could give her hope in this dark hour. And now, more than ever, she couldn't wait to break the distance between them and be by his side once more.

* * *

When Link returned through the Door of Time, he found Malon standing near the altar of the temple, glancing around not in awe, but rather in deep thought. But the moment she caught sight of the hero, her eyes widened in questioning, no doubt about what the two of them had just seen.

Link took in a deep breath, trying to figure how where to begin in trying to explain everything to her. "Malon-" he tried to begin, but the farm girl quickly cut him off.

"Its fine," she said with a grin. "It'd probably be too much for a simple peasant like me to understand anyway. But I gotta say, I am a bit surprised. I always knew you were special, fairy boy, but I could have never guessed that you were this special. I mean the 'Hero of Time' sounds like a pretty important title. But even so, you'll always be that fairy boy from the forest that I met seven years ago."

Link returned her kind smile as they headed back outside the temple. In light of so many people who depended upon him as their hero, it was comforting to know that there was still someone who saw him as a normal person. In spite of the heavy destiny that he carried, Malon saw him as her friend, not her savior. And in an uncertain time such as this, he was certainly grateful for such friendship, though he knew the farm girl wanted it to be more than that. And if it wasn't for his blossoming relationship with Zelda, then maybe it could have been. After all, there was no question that Link and Malon were close; upon leaving the forest for the first time, Malon was one of the first people Link had met and befriended and he was the first and really only boy that the spirited farm girl had taken a liking to. And yet, despite all of that, all they could really ever be was friends. There were just too many obstacles blocking them from being anything more.

As the two of them left the Temple of Time, the former silence that had filled the destroyed town was gone, replaced by the sounds of wild snarls and growls. Amidst the crumbling buildings, a lone creature was lurking around, searching for any signs of life. The beast was a black wolfos, larger than any Link or Malon had seen before, with glowing red eyes and knife-like fangs. Luckily, the monster was too absorbed in its hunt to see the two of them, but they knew they wouldn't go unnoticed forever.

"Stay here," Link said to Malon as he drew the Master Sword. The farm girl didn't argue as she stared at the huge wolfos with wide eyes. The hero approached the beast with care, watching it's every move intently as he attempted to gain the upper hand. But before he could even sneak a surprise strike on it, the wolfos spotted him out of the corner of its red eyes and let out a ravenous howl. The creature lept for him, but Link took advantage of this, slashing at the creature and landing a sizable cut across its chest. The wolfos recoiled in pain for a moment, but returned angrier than ever. It circled the hero for a tense moment, glaring and growling all the while. But when the monster lunged for him again, it received yet another hard blow from the Master Sword. However, the creature wasn't about to retreat, despite its injuries. The wolfos let out an ear-splitting howl and ran a few quick circles around Link. The hero did his best to keep his eyes on the elusive beast constantly, but it suddenly moved so fast that he was unable to react in time before the wolfos lept for his left arm and sunk its sharp teeth into his wrist, causing him to drop the Master Sword immediately. He gave the beast a strong kick to the stomach, releasing its iron grip and sending it back several feet as the hero gripped his injured wrist, trying to ease the sharp pain.

Malon gasped in shock and fear from her place near the Temple of Time as she watched the scene. And at the same time, she saw something that Link didn't as he was attending to his bleeding wrist. The wolfos was already on its feet again, but it had moved behind the hero, unbeknownst to him. It was slowly inching its way towards him, its teeth bared in malice, ready to finish what it had started. The farm girl took in a deep breath and began to run towards the beast, barely thinking about what she was doing. Along the way, she picked up a few small pieces of the rubble that was everywhere and threw one at the monster, hitting it in the head and catching its attention.

"Hey moblin breath!" Malon taunted the snarling creature. "Pick on someone else, will ya?!"

The wolfos growled hatefully at her and turned its focus to her instead of Link. The beast rushed for the unarmed farm girl and before she could even move out of the way, the monster had her firmly pinned down on the ground. Malon's frightened scream immediately caught Link's attention as he reclaimed the fallen Master Sword, ignoring the sting in his own bleeding wrist.

"Malon!" he shouted as he turned to see the wolfos on top of the farm girl, running several of its sharp claws across her chest viciously. The hero panicked, but only for a brief second. He raced for the beast and slashed the sword down on its neck with so much force that the creature let out a high pitched wine as it fell off to the side, finally defeated.

With the weight of the beast finally off of her, Malon let out a tearful, pained groan. Link quickly rushed over to her, kicking the wolfos' body aside. "Malon?" he said worriedly, kneeling down beside her and seeing that she was conscious, but just barely. In the short amount of time that the wolfos had her within its grasp, not only had it cut a deep wound across her chest, but it had also bitten into the side her neck. Both wounds were bleeding profusely and already the farm girl's skin was paling. Her breathing was rough and ragged and a few tears were falling down her cheeks, but her blue eyes were still bright and hopeful. "Oh goddesses…" Link muttered in grief, realizing that these wounds were beyond simple healing. Even if he were to get her back to Lon Lon Ranch, it would certainly be too late to save her.

A gentle rain began to fall upon the two of them, as Link took Malon's hand "Hey," she said weakly, a small smile appearing on her face. "It's OK, fairy boy… It doesn't hurt… that much…"

The hero took in a deep breath and looked at her sadly. He wasn't going to lie to her and tell her that she would be alright. She seemed to already know that she wasn't. But at the same time, he realized that she had received these mortal injuries from trying to help him. She had tried to distract the wolfos so it wouldn't attack him. He had been unable to protect her and it was because of that, she was dying. And his guilt was immediately overwhelming. "Malon," he said morosely, trying to fight back tears. "I'm so sorry… This is all my fault…"

Malon sighed and closed her eyes, smiling contentedly. "Its fine…" she assured him. "Don't blame yourself… I did it… because… I wanted to… And besides… you're here… and I couldn't be happier… Please… Don't leave…"

"I'm not going anywhere," Link said, giving her hand a slight squeeze. "I promise."

"Thanks, fairy boy…" she whispered happily. "Hey, do you remember...? This… is where we met… seven years ago… Right here in the square… Back when we were kids…"

Link glanced around the surrounding area and sure enough Malon was right; they were sitting in the center of the town square, right in the very place that the two friends had first met years ago on a bright, sunny afternoon. And now, seven years later, in its destroyed ruins, it was where they were saying their final goodbye. "Yeah…" the hero said quietly, as a stray tear finally escaped from his eyes.

"Time flies…" Malon said distantly, her words becoming softer and softer as she began to fade. "You know, Link… I'm so glad… that I know you…"

"Oh Malon…" Link said, his voice rife with grief and mourning as the farm girl placed a weak hand on his cheek to wipe his tears away. "I'm glad I know you too… and if I could do anything to help you, anything at all, I would…"

"Shh…" Malon quieted him, still smiling as the life began to fade from her once vibrant blue eyes. "Like… I said… having you… here with… me… is enough… Link… you… you're going… to save Hyrule… from whatever's… wrong with it… aren't you…?"

The hero didn't answer her for a moment as he finally looked away from her to glance around the ruins of Castle Town. The city had once been one of the grandest sights in the beautiful kingdom. People, families, had not too long ago lived and thrived there. And Link realized it was them he was fighting for. Why he always felt sworn to liberate Hyrule was because of the people who had lost so much to this darkness. Because of those who had lost their homes, their families, their friends. Because of Malon, and all other innocents like her, who had no part in the darkness that covered the land and yet were made to reap the penalties of it anyway. It was because of them that the hero knew that he had to do everything in his power to make sure that their pain and sacrifices were not made in vain. "I will," he said firmly, giving Malon's hand a warm, reassuring squeeze. "I promise. I'll do whatever it takes."

Malon closed her eyes yet again as she took in a slow, relaxed breath. "That's… all I wanted… to know… fairy boy…" her voice was little more than a whisper by this point, and yet she smiled nonetheless, despite being almost gone. "Link… I... I love… you…."

As she said these final words, her hand slowly slipped out of Link's and her voice faded away until it was barely audible. The hero didn't even have to check to know that her breathing had stopped. Malon was gone. Never again would her clear, bell-like voice ring out across Lon Lon Ranch in a lovely song. Never again would her bright smile light up her azure eyes. Never again would she tease and laugh causally, with her clever wink and harmonious laugh. And yet, despite her tragic passing, she had died happy. With a gentle, contented smile on her face, at the side of the one she loved, though she knew that he didn't love her in the same way. But even so, Link did love Malon as a dear friend. And, though he was heartbroken over her loss, he gave her a kiss on her cold cheek to show her that he did, sending her silent apologizes for all of the suffering and heartbreak that she must have endured in her life. And, as Link had vowed, he wasn't going to let her bravery and sacrifice be forgotten. Now more than ever, a strong desire for justice filled him and he was determined to liberate the fallen kingdom. Not only for the princess' sake, or for the people's sake, but for Malon's sake. After all, he had made a promise and the very least he could do for his fallen friend, who had given her life for his, was fulfill it.

* * *

Zelda had sat on the wall of Castle Town for about an hour, not having much ambition to move. Though she wanted to reunite with Link, she needed some time alone to soak in the impact of the death of Impa. She had spent the last hour crying over her loss, shooting light arrows off into the distance in frustration, and praying to the goddesses for mercy that she wasn't sure they would give. The rain that had been falling the entire time seemed to soothe her, washing away some of the pain, but not all of it. She would probably grieve Impa's passing for the rest of her life. Zelda would never forget her loyalty and sacrifice. But even though the pain was still fresh, she couldn't dwell on it forever. There was still work to be done.

Zelda leaped down into the ruins of the western end of Castle Town. Finding a secluded area, she changed into the outfit that Impa had given her, which consisted of thigh-length leather boots, light chest armor, and a black hood and cape, which still managed to conceal her identity. It was a comfortable outfit and Zelda was certainly grateful to her former guardian for it, among the countless other things that Impa had done for her in the past.

Zelda walked quickly and silently through the empty streets, looking around for Link but also holding on tightly to her bow in case anything else assaulted her. As she reached the square, she still found no signs of the hero, but what she did find unnerved her. The cold corpse of a huge wolfos, with a large gash in its neck. It didn't take the princess much thinking to guess who had taken the monster down, but what bothered her was the fact that its teeth and claws were covered in blood, clearly not its own. Immediately Zelda began to fear that Link had been injured while fighting this beast. She wouldn't be able to stand loosing the only other person whom she absolutely trusted. Not wanting another moment of suspense, she hurried off along the path that led to the Temple of Time.

When she arrived in the yard of the temple, she found him, standing before one of the flowerbeds that led to the temple. She didn't smile though, for even though her footsteps could be clearly heard he did not turn around to face her. Slowly she approached him, and gradually, she began to see what he was looking at that was lying within the flowerbed: a red haired young girl, bearing heavy wounds on her chest and neck, clearly dead, though looking quite peaceful as she lied in her makeshift grave. Zelda recognized her as Malon, the girl who lived at Lon Lon Ranch. The princess had never really known Malon personally, but she knew of Link's friendship with her and knew that her death must have been hard for him.

Zelda remained silent as she moved to stand by Link's side and looked down at the fallen farm girl sadly. She said nothing still as she looked to her hero, whose eyes were shut in mournful contemplation. What was there to be said really? Both of them had just lost someone important to them and at a moment such of this, there were little words that could actually comfort them. And so, Zelda likewise closed her eyes and bowed her head, offering a moment of respect for Impa and for Malon and for all of the tragedy that had befallen Hyrule.

After several minutes of lingering stillness, Zelda finally felt Link gently take her hand. She slowly opened her eyes and glanced down at their intertwined hands before looking into his face. He looked at her with such sadness and heartbreak in his eyes that she had never seen before that she almost broke down crying herself. And yet, there was strength and determination in them too. Even a tragedy such as this could not destroy those things.

In the same way, Link also saw the grief and anguish in Zelda's expression and he could instantly tell that something terrible had befallen her during their time apart. But he didn't ask what it was. Instead, he opened his arms to her and she quickly fell into his embrace. After a moment of simply holding onto one another, letting the warmth and comfort of each other wash away their pain, they looked into each other's eyes once more, finding peace and understanding in each other's gaze. And slowly, their faces began to gravitate closer and closer together, until finally, their lips gently touched. They both fell into the kiss as a genuine, comfortable, healing warmth began to flow between the two of them. Both of them were at complete and total ease, and a much needed contentment fell upon them as they held onto each healing moment of it. Despite the empty ruins that they were standing and the relentless night above their heads, they felt as though there were surrounded by an indestructible light. And, finally, the fall of rain ended.

* * *

**:,( I literally almost broke down crying as I was writing this chapter. It has to be one of the most emotional things I've ever written. And that's partially why I didn't add an ending section to the end of this chapter. I simply couldn't bring myself to write something bright and fluffy after writing something like this. Sorry if you were anticipating it, but I couldn't. :(**

**Anyway, on a lighter note, some of you who are fans of my newest obsession Les Mis may recognize the tittle of this chapter: "A Little Fall of Rain" In fact, I listened to that song about 20 times while writing this chapter :,( anyway... I promise that the next chapter will be more uplifting if this was too heavy for you. Who knows, we may even have the return of a familiar face... (Hey! Listen!) hope i didn't give too much away there ;) anyway, please leave a REVIEW! until next time! **


	26. The Only Way

_Chapter 25_

They had decided to spend the night in the Temple of Time. Neither of them had scarcely spoken a word, but at a time like this, words were not needed. They both well understood the other's tragedy and suffering. And so, the two of them full into fitful slumbers within the ancient structure, holding onto each other for protection and comfort all the while.

Zelda didn't sleep for most of the night. Her mind was on a million things at once and rest wouldn't come easy. And so, after about an hour of trying to rest, she busied herself with other activates to get her mind off of everything: braiding her messy hair, practicing her aim with the Bow of Light outside of the temple, even bandaging Link's injured wrist while he slept. But even so, she was still restless. She had never felt so empty and yet so fulfilled on the inside at the same time. It was as though the lingering pain of Impa's death would never leave her, despite the healing joy that being with Link again had brought her. And so, to try and clear her thoughts, she took a walk around the decimated town, looking to see if anything had survived at all.

As Zelda was wandering around the ruins of what had once been the market, she stumbled upon a bottle, somehow unbroken amidst the rest of the rubble. Curious, she picked it up and saw that it was a bottle of Hylian ale, an alcoholic beverage that had been quite popular among the lower society circles of Castle Town. The princess almost threw the bottle to the ground, but she hesitated. She had never even tasted any liquor before, and before now, had never had any desire to. She knew well that it dulled the senses and impaired one's wisdom and judgment. And yet, as Zelda stared at the flask in her hand, she suddenly felt compelled to try. Her father would have had a fit and Impa would have been extremely disappointed with her, but they were both dead. And in light of that cruel fact, the princess needed some form of escape, even if it was one so shallow. And so, she slowly uncorked the bottle and took her first sip of the ale. She almost gagged the stuff out the moment it touched her tongue and yet she savored the pleasure that it gave her as it ran down her throat. Somehow, it was sour and luscious at the same time. And for some reason, she craved more.

Holding the bottle aloft, Zelda looked towards the ruins of the fallen castle and proposed a toast. "To the king," she said quietly as she took another sip of the bittersweet liquid.

She closed her eyes and bowed her head as she gave another toast. "To the Sheikah," she said a bit louder, taking a larger sip this time.

Already she could feel her better senses begin to dim, but she didn't care. It felt so good, so calming as it took her away from her troubles. Zelda held the bottle up once again. "To Hyrule!" she proclaimed loudly, though her words were starting to slur together.

"To the goddesses!" she shouted, her inebriated voice echoing throughout the area as she drank even more.

She started to grow dizzy but she loved the feeling. Her body felt numb and her focus was lost but she enjoyed the comfort that this new guilty pleasure brought. "And…" she said with an intoxicated grin as she started to drunkenly stumble back to the direction of the temple with the bottle of ale in hand. "To the hero…"

* * *

Contrary to the princess, the hero slept rather well, though he was visited by quite a few dreams. He dreamed of the mysterious girl in white, who played her beautiful song once again but still did not say a word to him. He dreamed of Zelda, of bittersweet recollections of their long gone days of innocence and yet also of their blossoming romance. But most of all he dreamed of Malon, of her melodious voice, her cheerful laugh, and her tragic death. And yet none of these dreams, even the more comforting ones, really helped to sooth the pain of the last several hours.

But even so, Link was immediately troubled when he awoke to the unpleasant sound of someone retching violently. Sitting up tiredly, he looked towards the Door of Time and found Zelda standing within the doorway, her back towards him as she vomited upon the temple's sacred floor. He watched her for a moment in confusion until she began to sway and immediately he ran to catch her. She fell backwards into his arms and let out a small inebriated groan.

"Zelda," Link said worriedly, shaking her shoulders gently in an attempt to rouse her. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

The princess slowly opened her eyes and gave him a laced smile. "Hi…" she said lazily. She didn't say anything else as she let out another set of rough gags, though she kept down whatever vile substance was bothering her.

"Zelda, what's wrong with you?" Link asked with concern, looking into her dazed eyes. It was then that he noticed the bottle that she firmly grasped in her hand. When he took it from her, she immediately groaned in angry protest, but he quieted her down as he examined the now empty bottle, seeing that it had once been filled with Hylian ale. That immediately explained Zelda's poor condition. "Are… are you drunk?" he asked, not believing what he was saying, though the evidence was quite clear. He would have never expected Zelda of something so common, but somehow it seemed to be true.

"Shh…" her words slurred together as she gave him a slight wink. "Don't tell Impa…"

The hero took in a deep breath as he picked the drunken princess up and carried her back to the place where he had been sleeping. He laid her down gently, but as he was doing so, Zelda sluggishly moved her hand up to stroke his face. "Link…" she sighed blissfully, an intoxicated smile on her face. "I love you… I love you so much…"

Link sighed and looked at her sadly, knowing that she wasn't really in a perfect mental state at the moment thanks to the alcohol. "I know," he said softly, brushing aside some of her tousled hair to give her a kiss on the forehead. "I love you too. Now go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

Zelda opened her mouth to protest, but whatever she was going to say faded into the haze of her clouded mind. She let out a contented sigh and laid back, her eyes immediately closing as she fell into a stupor. Link smiled softly at her, realizing that even though she was inebriated, she was still quite beautiful. But even so, it was hard for him to see Hyrule's respected princess in such a pitiful state, though he understood what had driven her to try the mind-dulling ale. The past several weeks had been nothing but constant fear and torment for both of them. The ale had provided Zelda with a very superficial way to take her mind off of it all, but it had been a way of escape nonetheless.

Knowing that he wasn't going to get any more sleep any time soon, Link went outside of the temple to let Zelda recover in peace. Walking into the dense silence of the empty town, the hero stopped in front of Malon's makeshift grave to pay his respects to her yet again. Though only a few hours dead, her skin was as white as porcelain and her wounds were caked with dried blood, but despite that, she looked like she was merely sleeping peacefully. Like she had never been attacked and cruelly murdered by a savage beast. And the more Link thought about it, the more frustrated he became. Though the wolfos that had killed Malon was dead itself, the hero returned to the square and examined its corpse and sure enough, his suspicions were confirmed. He hadn't noticed it when he was fighting the wolfos earlier, but now he clearly saw the inconspicuous eye design on its back, the same one that Veran wore on the banner of her dress. He had figured that the creature had been sent by the sorceress to attack him, but now he was certain of it. Rage and hatred for her filled him, as did the burning desire to want to bring her down from her reign of darkness. It was because of her the people had turned against the princess. It was because of her that Malon was dead. And it was because of her that Link and Zelda were living in constant anguish and misery.

Returning to the temple's yard, the hero stood before Malon's grave once more and contemplated it all. The sages had told him that he had the Spirit of the Hero, and that it was his destiny to defeat Veran, but now, this duty was more than that. Link's conflict with the sorceress of shadows was personal now. She had caused so much distress for so many people who were important to him: she had almost killed Saria by setting fire to the Deku Tree, she had brought Zelda down to such a tormented, broken state, and she had caused the deaths of not only Malon, but his parents as well. Veran had stripped him of too many bright spots of his life, and had turned the world that he once knew into a nightmare. And yet, even in the midst of all this, there was still one bright spot left that Veran hadn't yet destroyed: Zelda. Though the princess was at the lowest of lows at the moment, her spirit battered and her joy vanished, she was not gone. She was still with him, still by his side. But Link knew that if he were to lose Zelda, then he truly would be alone. And so, he vowed right then and there that he would do anything, anything at all, to defeat Veran so that very thing would never happen.

And yet, the hero was apprehensive. He had barely escaped his last encounter with the sorceress alive. And with the Triforce at her command, she was unquestionably more powerful than she had been before. Even though the sages had said it was his destiny and Fi had confirmed that the Master Sword was strong enough to combat her evil, Link had his doubts about whether or not this was a battle he could win. What if he wasn't strong enough to defeat her? What if he couldn't protect Zelda? What if Veran killed them both and Hyrule was doomed to be forever shrouded in darkness?

As Link was pondering all of these troubling thoughts, he suddenly remembered something that the sages had said: _"The might of the Fierce Deity is great and god-like. It would be enough to defeat Veran forever, even with the immense power granted to her by the Triforce." _Link knew just how powerful the Fierce Deity's Mask was; after all, he had used it before to destroy Majora. But he also knew how dangerous the soul-corrupting mask was. The last and only time he had worn it, he had almost not been able to take it off. Who was to say that if he used it again, he would be as lucky as he had been back then? But what if he didn't use it and was killed in battle, leaving no one to protect Zelda? Was it at least worth it if it meant that both Hyrule and its princess would be free from the terrors that now haunted them?

Link struggled to find the proper answers for these conflicting questions, but when he finally did, the solution only brought him more dread and worry. If push came to shove, then he would do what must be done to keep Zelda safe. After all, if he was lost, it mattered little, but if the princess was lost, then it would leave Hyrule without a leader. But if this was to be Link's final battle, then he had to make sure he would win it for Zelda's sake. And the only way he could ensure that he'd succeed would be with the power of the Fierce Deity's Mask. If he lost his soul to save Zelda's life, then so be it.

* * *

Zelda awoke to a pounding headache and a sickened stomach. The memories of the previous night were completely gone, replaced with a dull emptiness throughout her body. With a groan, she sat up weakly and looked around the temple, finding Link sitting not too far away from her.

"What happened last night…?" Zelda asked tiredly, rubbing her head to try and ease the lingering pain away.

Link frowned at her, though he was glad to see her sober once more. "Well," he said, handing the empty ale bottle to her. "Let's just say you had some of this."

The princess took the bottle and immediately the bitter memory of the previous night came back to her. "Oh Din…" she whispered in humiliation. "What have I done…?" In anger and shame, she tossed the bottle aside. What a disgrace she was! If her people knew about this, then she'd be even more of a pariah in their eyes than she already was. She was still a princess, even though her kingdom had been torn from her. Under normal circumstances, she would have never behaved in such a way. Had she been so weak in the face of tragedy that she had been reduced to this? "Link, I'm sorry," she said apologetically, ashamed that he had seen her in such a scandalous state. "I should have known better."

The hero took her hand and gave her a small smile. "It's OK," he said consolingly.

Zelda closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, feeling exhausted and sullen. "No, it's not. If Impa finds out, she'll…" she trailed off as the painful memory of Impa's death resurfaced in her mind. "Oh…" she sighed mournfully, burying her face into her hands as a few tears slipped from her eyes. "That's right…"

"Zelda, what's wrong?" Link asked with concern, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder as she wept. The princess gave no answer, and so the hero pressed her for answers again. "What happened?"

Tearfully, Zelda lifted her head and looked at him with grief. "There was a huge pack of wolfos…" she sobbed brokenly. "And Impa… she… she… she's dead…" With a cry of emotional misery, the princess rested her head against Link's shoulder and grieved there inconsolably.

Link wrapped his arms around the distraught princess and said nothing as she let poured sorrow out. The news of Impa's passing filled him with even more anger towards Veran. Without question she had sent the pack of wolfos to kill Zelda, but luckily Impa had stepped in to save her, but at the cost of her own life. But even so, now both the hero and the princess had suffered a dear loss at the hands of the merciless sorceress. And in the miserable aftermath of those losses, now all they had was each other.

"Link…" Zelda muttered bitterly after several moments of crying. "I hate Veran so much for this… She was the one who sent those wolfos. She's the one who's caused all of this destruction and pain… We have to stop her…"

Link nodded in agreement. "And we will," he said solemnly. "I promise."

Zelda wiped her tears dry but she was still clearly upset. "But how?" she said hopelessly. "She's much too powerful… She wouldn't hesitate to kill us…"

The hero hesitated before giving her an answer. He wasn't sure if telling her about the Fierce Deity's Mask was the best idea, knowing that she try to stop him from using it even though he knew he had to. And so, he devised an answer that would hopefully ease the princess' fears. "We'll find a way," he said reassuringly. "But until we do, we can't let her find us. I think we should go into hiding for a while, at least until we come up with a plan."

"But where could we go that she wouldn't find us?" the princess asked worriedly. "The wolfos were meant to kill us. But it's only a matter of time before Veran comes after us to finish the job herself."

"We can go to Termina," Link said, knowing that he'd have to go there to retrieve the mask. If they could make it there safely and back, then Veran's defeat would be imminent. And even aside from his main goal in going back to Termina, the hero knew that both of them needed a break from the constant plague of fear and darkness that enshrouded Hyrule.

"But how do you know she won't find us there?"

"I don't," the hero said truthfully. "But it's worth a try."

After a moment of thought, Zelda nodded in agreement, of course having no idea about the true reason they were returning to Termina. Link hated lying to her, but in the end it would be for her own good. Or at the very least, he could only hope that it would be.

* * *

Link and Zelda left Castle Town immediately, not wanting to risk any chance of Veran finding them if they stayed in one place for too long. They rode Epona on the lesser known paths trailing across Hyrule Field that led to the forest, trying to stay out of sight as much as possible. After all, they needed to not only avoid Veran, but also any of more of her creatures as well as any wrongly rebellious Hylian citizens who might seek the princess' life.

Moving quickly through the darkness, the two of them made it to the forest in record time. As usual, the place was devoid of Kokiris, though Link couldn't help but wonder if they were alright under the rough circumstances, especially Saria. By the time they made it to the lost woods, Zelda had fallen asleep leaning against Link's back as they rode, still exhausted from the events of the previous night, which gave the hero some time for quiet contemplation as he looked for the entrance to Termina.

How strange it was that the last time they headed this way, they knew nothing of the great sorrow that filled their existence now. And yet it was within these same dense woods that Veran had captured them both in the first place and this catastrophe had started. Regardless of where and how it all began though, Link knew that he'd have to be the one to stop it. But even so, he was still uneasy about using the Fierce Deity's Mask. Though he had decided that it was a necessity, he knew there was a very real chance that he could lose his soul. But he couldn't dwell on that fear; Zelda's safety had to be his first priority. His own well-being meant nothing now.

As the hero was thinking all of this through, a sudden noise echoed throughout the empty woods. One that was very familiar to Link, though he hadn't heard it in years: the sound of a guardian fairy's wings beating together. With wide eyes, he slowed Epona down and glanced around the area, but found nothing. Thinking that he had just imagined it, Link continued on his way until he heard the chimes of the fairy once again and this time they were unmistakable. He brought Epona to a complete halt and waited patiently, wondering if it could be who he really thought it was.

The beating of fairy wings continued as a spritely giggle bounced around the trees and Link immediately recognized it. After all, he had come to these same woods less than seven years ago hoping to hear the same sound. A gentle blue glow shone of off the nearby trees as it neared him, and he held his breath anxiously waiting for her to finally show herself.

"Hey!" her bright, high-pitched voice rang out like a clear bell. Link couldn't help but smile, having heard her call out the same thing many times to him before. He was amazed though that after wondering where she had gone for so many years, he was finally meeting her again. And sure enough, she came into view in her normal manner, flittering cheerfully as she flew towards him.

"Navi!" Link greeted her happily, holding out his hand so she could stand on it. Indeed, his former fairy companion had finally returned to him after seven long years. And despite everything else that had happened recently, he was glad for this joyful reunion.

"Link!" the tiny fairy said cheerfully, landing delicately on his palm and giving his thumb a hug. "I've missed you so much! I was starting to wonder if I would ever see you again!"

"But Navi," the hero frowned. "You're the one who left me in the Temple of Time all those years ago. Why'd you leave?"

Navi sighed as she took a seat on his hand. "I'm sorry Link…" she said sadly. "It's just… Well, guardian fairies aren't really supposed to leave the forest, just like Kokiris aren't supposed to. It weakens us and eventually we die. The Great Deku Tree sent me to travel with you because he knew I was able to survive outside of the forest longer than most fairies. But after the battle with Ganondorf and when Princess Zelda sent us home, I was so weak that I almost didn't make it back to the forest. I wanted to tell you, but… well, I guess my heart was just too heavy for goodbyes…"

Link couldn't help but smile at his old friend. "Its fine," he said kindly. "I'm just glad I finally found you again. I came here looking for you not long after you left, but I never found you."

"Oh, I know!" Navi exclaimed, nodding. "I've been recovering here for the past several years and when I found out that you had come, I was about to come and find you for myself, but then you disappeared through that weird gateway in the middle of the woods. Some say that it leads to an entirely different world. Is that true?"

Link nodded. "It does," he said, watching as Navi started to flitter around once more. "In fact, we're headed there now."

"Really?" the fairy said with interest. "Can I come? You know, for old time's sake?"

"Of course Navi," the hero smiled warmly at her. "I'd be glad to have you."

Navi giggled cheerfully, when she noticed Zelda, still asleep behind Link. "Oh!" she exclaimed, floating near her. "Isn't this the princess? What's wrong with her?"

"She's just sleeping," Link reassured her. "The last several weeks have been really rough for her. For both of us really…"

"What happened?" Navi asked with curiosity, floating alongside Link as he continued to guide Epona towards the gateway to Termina.

For the next several hours, the hero filled the fairy in on everything that had happened in the past several years, including his adventure in Termina, his friendship with Zelda, and Veran's recent takeover. Navi listened intently to his troubles and offered consolation and advice when needed, as she used to do when the two of them used to travel together. Making sure that Zelda was still asleep, Link even confided with Navi about the Fierce Deity's Mask, knowing that his trusted friend would keep it a secret from the princess.

"So if you use that mask, you can beat Veran for good?" Navi asked.

Link nodded gravely. "Yes, but like I said, it'll come at a cost. The sages said if I use it, I could lose my soul. But if it meant keeping Zelda safe, wouldn't that be worth it? After all… I love her."

"Aw…" Navi cooed dreamily. "I knew it! I could tell from the moment the two of you met! But still, you must _really _love her if you're willing to give up your own soul to save her life. But Link…" she said, sudden fear creeping into her tone. "I don't want to lose you after just finding you again! Isn't the Master Sword enough to stop Veran?"

The hero sighed. "Even if it is, I don't think I'm strong enough to stop her," he admitted. "After all, I couldn't protect Malon, even with the Master Sword. What if I can't protect Zelda either?"

Navi frowned and landed on his shoulder. "I know that Malon's death must have been hard for you…" she said sympathetically, remembering the heartbreaking tale that he told her of the farm girl's passing. "But I think you are strong enough on your own. I mean, you are the same Hero of Time who defeated Ganondorf, right?"

"Yeah, but Navi, Veran's a lot stronger than he was."

"So?" the fairy shrugged. "Is there that much of a difference? Knowing you, you'll be able to defeat her too, no matter what. You're a hero, and I know that's enough."

Link simply sighed and nodded, knowing that there was no arguing with the headstrong fairy. Despite her reassuring words, he still wasn't confident that he could triumph over Veran without the Fierce Deity's Mask. As much as he didn't want to use it, he felt as though he was being pushed to. Without its power, he wouldn't stand a chance against the sorceress and neither would Zelda. This was what would have to be done if there was to ever be peace in Hyrule again. This was the only way.

* * *

"_You know, I've never asked you," Zelda said to Link one day as they sat upon one of the roofs of Kakariko Village, watching the people go about on their afternoon business. "Why did you leave when you went to Termina anyway?"_

"_I went to go search for Navi, my fairy," Link said, remembering his spirited former companion, who had left him under mysterious circumstances. _

"_Oh," the princess said with a small smile. "That's right. I remember her from the first time we met. I didn't see her with you though after that. Did you ever find her?"_

_The young hero shook his head and frowned. "No, I gave up looking for her after I came back from Termina."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry you never found her…" Zelda said consolingly. "But maybe you will one day! But, I'm still curious… why did you give up?"_

"_Because," he said, giving her a soft smile which she was quick to return. "I promised someone that I'd come back and see them again."_

* * *

**Yay! this is my 25th chapter of this story! That makes this the longest story I've ever written so far! In commemoration of this special event, I'd like to give a heart felt thanks to all of you who have reviewed and favorited this story! You guys are the ones who encourage me to keep writing! Anyway, just in case you guys are wondering if I'm going to make this go on forever, I plan to at least draw this out for about ten more chapters (yeah this is gonna be long I know), but that's just cause the climax is gonna be so epic! ;D anyway, REVIEW! until next time!**


	27. Calm Before the Storm

_Chapter 26_

By the time the trio had made it to the entrance to Termina, Zelda had awakened and had welcomed Navi's company, not really minding the enthusiastic fairy's presence. Though she was finally well-rested, her mind was largely focused on the lingering feeling of dread that she harbored over the fact that Veran might track them down, even to Termina. But at the very least she was able to take solace in the fact that Link was with her, that she wasn't completely alone.

But even so, despite both of their pressing concerns, there was nothing quite as rejuvenating as the moment they stepped into Clock Town once more. The warm, genuine mid-afternoon sun, though naturally not as bright as Hyrule's used to be, was a goddessend. Actual blue skies not abridged by dark clouds, clear, fresh air not filled with malice, a happy, bustling town not torn to shreds and abandoned. A place untouched by Veran's hand of destruction and desolation. And for a moment, Link and Zelda simply stood within the doors of the Clock Tower, basking in the cheerful peace and serenity that had been eluding them for so long now.

"Hey!" Navi trilled, flying in front of the couple. "What are you guys doing, just standing here staring at everything? Well… I guess this _is _a pretty amazing place… I mean, who would have thought that an entire world was hiding in the middle of the lost woods, with people in it and everything!"

Navi continued to chatter excitedly as Link frowned at her and shook his head. He knew that she wasn't trying to be irritating or annoying; it was just her way. But when he turned to give a quiet apology to Zelda, he heard something that he hadn't heard in quite a long time. She was laughing. A genuine, happy, harmonious laugh. Her blue eyes had regained that elegant sparkle that had been missing ever since their capture and her gentle smile was unmistakable. All at once Zelda was back. Not the Zelda who had succumbed to the weakness of alcohol the previous night, but the Zelda who had stood with him here in this exact spot not too many weeks ago. The Zelda whose golden hair blew wistfully in the breeze and whose eyes shimmered with radiance. The princess of Hyrule, who was girded with dignity, respect and wisdom, yet at the same time, kindness, curiosity and playfulness. The true Zelda. The Zelda that Link had grown up alongside with, loved the most, and knew that he only had a short time left with. But some time was better than none at all. And so he was going to devote every last fleeting moment of peace they had left to being with her so that their final days together could be happy.

And so, as they headed towards the Stock Pot Inn to book a room for their time in Termina, Navi bounced around, taking in the new sights while Link silently slipped his hand into Zelda's. The princess turned to glance at him briefly, the blissful smile apparent amidst her somewhat flustered pink cheeks. But she quickly closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, letting the misery of the past several days drift away. Of course, she knew this peace was only momentary. Something, be it Veran or another influence entirely, would come and shatter their tranquility sooner or later. But for once, she didn't want to dwell on what _could _happen, but rather on what _was _happening. And what was happening right now warmed her heart and restored her broken spirit and she cherished that feeling for all it was worth.

As they walked through town, the two of them cordially greeted any familiar face but told no one of the true reason they were there. After all, most Terminians had no idea Hyrule even existed so how would they take a story about an evil sorceress conquering it? After checking into the inn, Link and Zelda got to work on cleaning themselves up, considering they were covered in the blood and filth of the past several days. But after that, they left the inn, hands still intertwined as they spoke not a word to each other. They both seemed to know where the other wanted to go, and so, that was where they went.

The sun was pleasant and golden as it blanketed the beach of Great Bay. Link and Zelda stood on the shore, admiring its warm glow as it began to set across the shimmering, endless sea. Off in the distance, Navi flittered happily over the waters, exploring the concept of an ocean for the first time, leaving the couple largely alone as they held onto each other. They needed this, more than they had realized before. After all, until now they hadn't had time to be in love; there had been more pressing matters to deal with. But now, at least for the moment, it seemed as though they had all the time in the world. For the moment, they were allowed to be in love, the way true lovers were supposed to be.

For the longest time, neither one of them said anything at all; they were simply content to be in each other's company as they watched the sun's lofty descent. Zelda stood with her arms wrapped around Link's waist as he kept a secure arm on her shoulder. The princess couldn't remember a time when she had been happier. Despite all the tragedy that had befallen them recently, Link had managed to bring her joy once again. Zelda's gaze gradually began to drift away from the sea to her hero. She had never seen him look so handsome before. Of course she had always known he was good-looking, but this was perhaps the first time she had ever really taken notice of it before. But she certainly did now as she noted his tall, lean form, sharp, dashing features, and most of all, his gallant, heroic light blue eyes, brimming with courage as they always did. And yet, she sensed something else in them as well; a certain anxiousness and apprehension, both apparent despite the relaxed smile on his face. Zelda wondered where such emotions could be coming from at a blissful moment such as this, even as Link turned to look back at her.

"What?" he asked quietly, still smiling warmly at her.

"Nothing," she said, looking away in slight embarrassment as she realized that she had been staring.

"Come on," he said playfully. "What is it?"

She couldn't help but smile back, even though her cheeks were glowing a soft shade of red. "Well… I was just thinking about how handsome you are…" she said, hoping she didn't sound too awkward.

His eyes seemed to brighten up at the compliment. "That's funny," he said as she gave him a curious look. "I had just been thinking about how beautiful _you _are."

Zelda let out a soft chuckle as her cheeks reddened even more. "Listen to us," she said. "We sound like a newlywed couple," she sighed wistfully and hopefully, shaking her head. "Couldn't you just imagine it? Us, being married one day…?"

Link's smile faded as Zelda said this. Indeed he could imagine it. He could see spending the rest of his life with her, in a blissful union. He could see them starting a family, raising children and then growing old together. He could imagine what it would be like: she would continue to rule her kingdom, and lead it into an age of prosperity while he would continue to protect both her and her land from any harm. It was the most peaceful, pleasant life he could imagine; it would be like something from a dream. But in reality, that was the only place where such a life could exist. It was a nice thought, be the hero knew well it was something that could never really be. No amount of wishful thinking or dreaming could change that fact. Because in reality, he was most likely going to be gone within a matter of days. Whether he was going to fall by Veran's hand or win against her but loose himself with the Fierce Deity's Mask, there was almost no chance that he'd be around to live out this dream life with Zelda. But as heartbreaking as the thought was to him, he wouldn't dare let her find out about his intentions. She knew nothing of the impending and he wanted to keep it like that. Even though he knew he was deceiving her, he had to keep her in this blissful ignorance for as long as possible. For both of their sakes.

Upon gauging his lack of a reaction, Zelda suddenly felt even more embarrassed for asking it in the first place. Maybe she was taking things too fast, already talking about marriage… Perhaps she had made him uncomfortable. "I… I'm sorry…" she muttered, looking down to the sand at her feet.

Link was suddenly drawn out of his thoughts when she said this and he immediately questioned her. "What for?"

"I… shouldn't have said that… I just figured… I thought you felt the same way…"

Suddenly feeling guilty, Link took the princess' hands and looked her in the eyes. "I do," he said with certainty. "When I told you that I loved you, I meant it."

Zelda couldn't help but sigh contentedly at the tender words. But before she could even ask him why he had hesitated to say this before, he quickly bridged the gap between them, pulling her lips to his passionately.

This was how their first kiss _should _have been: on the golden sands of a picturesque beach rather than in the empty desolate ruins of a destroyed town. This was not a kiss of consolation over a great tragedy; this was a kiss of true romance and affection. It was full of gentle warmth and ecstasy, and was more than fulfilling to both of them. They fell into it with ease, clinging onto each other and staying in place for as long as possible, savoring this blissful moment as the golden sun sank below the glistening horizon.

* * *

Once again, Link saw the girl in white in his dreams again. And once again she played her song on the harp, its flowing melody bouncing within the open temple as her voice rung clear and beautiful. But unlike the previous two times, this time, she sang it in perfect Hylian, so he was able to understand every word.

"Oh youth…" she sang, looking down to the temple floor in contemplation as she preformed the melody. "Guided by the servant of the goddess, unite earth and sky, and bring light to the land…"

Once the song was finished, the sound of the final harp pucks still lingered within the temple as the girl looked to him. For a moment or two, she said nothing, but simply stared at him, her expression unreadable. And then, she finally spoke to him for the first time, her voice soft yet harmonious.

"Who are you…?" she asked cryptically, as if she already knew. The hero stared back at her dumbly, unable to give her an answer as his voice was nonexistent at the moment for some reason. After receiving no response, the girl asked him once more. "Who are you?" For several more silent moments, Link was still unable to answer her. But when his voice returned to him, right as he was about to give her a proper response, he noticed that her expression had finally changed. She now looked somewhere past him, her eyes wide and frightened and her lips slightly parted in alarm. Time seemed to slow to a tense crawl as she dropped her harp; the golden instrument fell to the ground in an almost inaudible clatter.

"The dark one…" she whispered fearfully, just loud enough for him to hear. "She is coming…" The light spilling into the temple seemed to diminish all at once as the girl spoke to him directly now though she still did not look at him. "Beware hero…" she said softly, her tone foreboding and worried. "The one who seeks the destruction of your spirit and the blood of my descendant is almost upon you. Be prepared, for the destined battle is soon at hand…"

The encroaching darkness soon filled the entire temple, making it so Link wasn't able to even see the girl any longer. A cold laugh echoed through the temple, not Veran's but one quite similar to hers and as it boomed into a full crescendo, the girl let out a terrified scream with her assonant voice, which grew in fear and desperation until it became a scream that Link absolutely hated hearing: Zelda's.

* * *

The hero's eyes flew open, though thankfully he didn't jolt the sleeping princess beside him awake. He sat up carefully, taking care not to agitate her, especially at a moment like this. Not after what he had just heard and seen. If what the girl had said was true, and Link was almost certain that she was on the mark, Veran was on her way here to Termina this very minute. And, that she'd arrive very soon to cause even more mayhem and destruction. It seemed as though their brief respite was already over. The final battle was about to commence very soon. And Link had to be ready for it.

Of course he wanted to wait until the last minute to go get the Fierce Deity's Mask, so as not to arouse Zelda's suspicions, but clearly, as he had been warned, it could no longer wait. The Sorceress of Shadow could arrive at any time. If he hesitated now, it could be fatal for both of them. He just couldn't let Veran have the chance to harm Zelda again. So, Link slipped out of bed as quietly as he could, trying not to make a sound as he gathered his gear. As he was doing so, he glanced over at Zelda, sleeping peacefully with a contented expression on her face. They had fallen asleep in each other's embrace and it had been nothing less than euphoric. Even now, as she slumbered with no knowledge of what he was about to go do, she was an image of beauty and radiance to him. And he knew very well that this could be the last time he would ever see her. But he couldn't wake her, lest she attempt to stop him and make him turn back on his necessary decision. So instead, as he prepared to leave the room and head out to place where he knew the mask was hidden away at, he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, savoring perhaps his final glimpse at the woman he loved. _I'm doing this for her… _he reminded himself as he turned to leave, his gaze lingering on her as he headed for the door. _If only one of us makes it out of this alive, it has to be her._

But just as Link thought he was going to make a clear getaway, the unthinkable happened. Though his footsteps were barely audible, Navi, who had fallen asleep on the nightstand and who was a light sleeper in the first place, woke up to see him sneak across the floor. And she didn't hesitate to question him. "Hey!" she called out loudly, flittering over to him. Link stopped in his tracks and turned to quiet the noisy fairy but it was already too late. She had already managed to wake Zelda. "Where are you going, Link?" Navi asked, noisily circling him as her blue light cast a bright glow throughout the room. "Don't you know what time it is? It's past midnight!"

With a drowsy groan, Zelda sat up in bed and looked to see the hero as he stood near the door ready to leave. When Link saw her looking at him in confusion, he knew that he had to come up with something and fast.

"Where are you going?" she asked, noting the sword and shield strapped to his back.

"Nowhere," he said quickly, casting a brief glare at Navi.

"Nowhere…" Zelda repeated with a frown, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Sure you are. Now where are you really going at this late hour?"

Link took in a deep breath. "I can't tell you," he admitted, not willing to lie to her more than he already had.

The princess' eyebrows furrowed in confusion and frustration. "Why not?" she said, rising to her feet. "Whatever's going on, you can tell me. You know you can."

"I can't…" he said hesitantly. "I'm sorry."

Zelda sighed. "Link… we can't keep secrets from each other at a time like this. We've always been able to trust each other with everything. And now we're the only ones left to protect each other. Please," she pleaded. "Either tell me where you're going or let me come along. We need to be together in this. In everything."

Link knew she was right, she always was, but he still couldn't bring himself to tell her his plan. "Zelda," he said firmly, not backing down in his resolve. "I have to go do something on my own. I'll be back."

She stared at him for a moment or two before looking down. "You didn't promise…" she whispered, knowing the significance of this. At a time like this, Link would always leave her with a promise of reassurance, one that he would always keep or at least try his best to.

"That's because I can't promise you that I'll come back this time," he said honestly, avoiding her distraught gaze.

"What?" she choked as tears began to well up in her eyes. Where was he going that he wouldn't be able to come back from? This was something she needed to know. If this was true, then he at least owed her a reason why.

"Listen," he said, taking her hands and sitting her back down on the bed. "You need to stay here until morning. Please. I… I have to do this on my own."

"Why do you feel like you need to do everything by yourself?" she asked, tears starting to fall. "Whatever this is, I can help you. Please… just tell me what it is."

The hero sighed, trying to avoid her tearful gaze but failing. "Zelda…" he said, trying to be strong for both of them. "I'm sorry…" he gave her another soft kiss on the forehead, which only brought her more tears. "But I have to go."

He turned to leave, not able to bear seeing her in such a heartbroken state any longer. But before he could reach the door, she grasped his wrist firmly, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "I've already lost so much…" she whispered, her voice thick with fear and anguish. "I can't lose you too…"

She continued to cling onto his arm throughout the next few minutes of tense silence. He was almost to the point of tears himself as he finally pulled his arm away from her grasp as gently as he could. "I love you…" he said quietly. "And that's why I have to go. Now promise me that you'll stay here."

She became hysterical at this request, but he grasped her shoulders firmly and quieted her down. "Promise me," he commanded once she was slightly calmer. She looked in the eyes and for the first time ever she saw fear in them. And it was because of that fear, fear that she shared with him, that she hesitantly nodded in agreement.

"I promise," she barely managed to whisper, knowing that she was bound to keep this promise as much as she didn't want to.

He said nothing, but simply drew her into what he was sure would be their final embrace. He savored her warmth, her gentle touch. These would be the feelings that he intended to hold onto in his soon coming final moments. At this point, he wasn't even certain if he'd live to see the dawn of a new day, but at the very least, he could ensure that she would. And that alone was comforting to him.

The two of them pulled away from one another slowly and Zelda stayed put as she watched him leave. They said no parting words, for there was none they could say. Both of their hearts were heavy as they exchanged their final glances and all the while the princess was filled with questions that she knew would never be answered. Fears that would never be relieved and despair that would never disappear. And, as Link left her within the darkened room in the middle of the starless night, she had never felt more alone.

* * *

Link hurried to the southern part of Clock Town to go through the exit into Termina Field, so Zelda wouldn't be able to see which direction he was truly headed for: east. Navi tagged along at a short distance behind him, keeping silent for once. As the hero crossed into Termina Field, he kept a steady pace towards the Ikana region, keeping his focus tightly on the route ahead of him so it wouldn't drift to something, or rather _someone _else. He had already banished all thoughts of Zelda and her mournful blue eyes out of his mind. Focus was imperative at a time like this. He was going to finish this. He had made too many promises to too many people that he would: to Malon, to Zelda, to himself.

As they rushed through the still nighttime darkness of the field, Navi finally gathered the nerve to speak up. "Link," she said apologetically. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to wake Zelda up back there. I know that you didn't want her knowing about this…"

Link couldn't help but smile at her, glad that if he had no one else, he still has his loyal fairy companion. "Its fine, Navi," he said. "She would have found out sooner or later."

Navi flew to fly ahead of him, her normal fervor returning to her. "Yeah, well I still say you can do this without that mask. But then again, you were never good about listening to me."

"Well it was kinda hard not to listen when you were constantly shouting it at me," the hero said with a grin.

The fairy chuckled brightly. "That's 'cause back then you were a kid. At first you always needed me to tell you where to go and what to do. But I guess everyone grows up sooner or later… In your case, twice!" she said with a slight laugh before letting out a wistful sigh. "I still wish you weren't going through with this…"

Link sighed in remorse. "I'm sorry Navi," he said, knowing this couldn't be easy for her either, especially just after their reunion. "But like I said, I have to."

Navi landed on his shoulder and rested there as he walked. "I know…" she said softly. "But if even if you do lose your soul, goddess forbid, I just want you to know that I'm glad we were able to see each other again one last time. And, that I'm so proud of you. Out of all the children I could have been paired with, I'm glad the Great Deku Tree sent me to you."

Link smiled, comforted by her kind words. "Thanks Navi," he said as the entrance to Ikana Canyon came into view. "For years when I was a kid, I used to wish that a fairy would come to me. And when I finally got one, I couldn't have wished for a better one than you."

The fairy blushed and giggled bashfully. But before either one of them could say another word, a new voice echoed throughout the field near them. A voice that was quite familiar to Link. And sure enough, its owner came into view in a bright ball of yellow, stopping a few inches away from him.

"Ah-HA!" Tatl exclaimed brightly. "I knew you'd come back, Link! But I didn't think it'd be this soon…"

Before Link could even greet the Terminian fairy, the Hylian one that rested on his shoulder quickly fluttered over to her. "Hey now!" Navi said hotly. "Just who do you think you are?"

"I think the better question would be, who are _you_?" Tatl asked with just as much sharpness in her tone. "And what are you doing with Link?"

Navi eyed the yellow fairy suspiciously. "I'm Navi," she introduced herself with little courtesy. "And I just so happen to be his partner."

"Hey wait a minute!" Tatl buzzed up and down with frazzled excitement. "I'm his partner! Or… well… I used to be… But it doesn't matter! Go on, Link! Tell this floozy of a fairy off!"

"No, Link!" Navi shouted in rage. "Tell _her! _We've known each other for years!"

But at the moment, the only reaction the hero could give to this petty argument was a burst of laughter, much to the bewilderment of the two fairies floating before him. He could have never expected that Navi and Tatl would ever actually meet, but sure enough, it was certainly happening. And despite the amount of seriousness both of them were taking, Link couldn't help but be amused by their bickering. In many ways, both of them appeared to be similar; of course they bore obvious physical differences but both were about the same size and both were equally matched in their frustration at the moment. But they were both very different as well. Navi was more straightforward, much more compliant and affable as well. Tatl on the other hand was a free spirit, completely independent and rather flippant as well. But nonetheless, the hero cared for both fairies the same and he made sure to let them know this as he properly introduced them.

"So you're that Navi fairy that Link said he had been looking for when he first came here…" Tatl said sitting beside Navi on the hero's shoulder as he continued on his way to the canyon. "I should have guessed. After all, he was _constantly_ comparing me to you when we first met."

Navi smiled proudly and nodded. "That's because he likes me better," she said slyly, much to Tatl's annoyance.

"Hey!" she exclaimed angrily, crossing her arms. "Obviously he likes me more. After all, I didn't run out on him after his mission was over."

The Hylian fairy growled in protest. "Well I helped him save the world from an evil overlord!"

"So?" the Terminian fairy retorted. "I helped him save it from a giant moon _and _a possessed mask!"

"Well it doesn't matter 'cause he likes me more!" Navi said, running out of arguments and really just wanting to be right at the moment.

"No, he likes me more!" Tatl said crossly.

"No, me!"

"No, me!"

"Me!"

"Me!"

"Ok, that's enough," Link said, finally deciding to put an end to their fighting. It wasn't really that he was annoyed with it, though that was part of it. He was actually glad to have the company of both of his fairy partners, as it helped to keep his mind off of more distressing things. But even so, he had grown tired of the arguing that had been going on ever since the two fairies met. "I said it before: I like each of you as much of the other one, ok? You both helped me do things that I never would have been able to do on my own. And I can't thank either one of you enough for that. So no more fighting."

"Hm," Navi crossed her arms and turned away from Tatl. "She started it…"

"Navi…" the hero admonished and the blue fairy blushed in embarrassment as Tatl let out a muted snicker.

"So Link…" Tatl said, ignoring her rival for a moment. "Why are we heading to Ikana in the middle of the night anyway? And where's Zelda? Did she come to Termina with you this time or not?"

"He's going to get some mask or something…" Navi muttered absently, remembering what Link had told her earlier.

Tatl gasped, quickly rising from his shoulder to fly in front of him. "You don't mean the Fierce Deity's Mask, do you?" she asked worriedly. "Link, you know how dangerous that mask is! What could you possibly need it for?"

Link briefly explained the situation with Veran to her as they neared their destination within the desolate canyon. When he had hid it within the ancient castle that rested there years ago, it had seemed like the idea spot to conceal such a powerful and potentially dangerous mask. And it still was, for the castle had apparently remained untouched for the past seven years of his absence from Termina.

"Link ,this is crazy!" Tatl exclaimed after he had finished explaining his plan to stop Veran to her. "You can't do this. You remember what almost happened the last time you put on that thing! I don't care how powerful this Veran lady is, it's not worth the risk of you losing your soul!"

"That's what I tried to tell him!" Navi cut in. "But he wouldn't listen. As usual… "

"It looks like the two of you finally agree on something," Link said with a bittersweet grin as he neared the courtyard of the castle where the mask was secreted away within a chest buried underground.

"But let me guess…" Tatl sighed. "You don't agree with us."

The hero shook his head and avoided the gaze of the two fairies. "I can't. I made a promise to someone that I'd stop Veran, no matter what it takes," he said, thinking back to Malon's tragic passing. "Besides, if I don't do this, then she'll kill Zelda. And I'd never be able to forgive myself if I let that happen."

Both Navi and Tatl opened their mouths to protest him once again, but they could sense the finality of his statement. There would be no convincing him otherwise, no matter how hard they tried. And so, they simply floated alongside him in silence, both of them replacing their bitterness towards the other with worry for the hero they both cared so much about.

It took Link less than five minutes to locate the spot that he had buried the mask years ago and it took him even less time to retrieve it. But as he opened the chest and held their Fierce Deity's Mask in his own two hands again, he simply stood there for a moment in angst and uneasiness. There he was, staring directly at one of the few things he truly feared. So much was riding on this mask. Hyrule's future and Zelda's life both depended on it. But at the same time, this very mask could also corrupt his soul. Its power was great, yet fatal. But Link had made his choice. He had to go through with this, for it was the only way. No matter how much Navi and Tatl protested it, no matter how much Zelda protested it. If he was to succeed against Veran's awesome power, this would be the only way he could be certain of it. And he had already planned that victory as much as he could when the unthinkable happened. For as Link prepared to leave the castle with the mask and the two fairies in tow, the undeniable sound of a thunderous explosion echoed across the canyon. But what was even worse, was that it came from the direction of Clock Town.

* * *

_For her thirteenth birthday, Zelda had received a prized royal horse from her father as a gift. It was a graceful, majestic creature, white a__s snow and stately as could be. And of course, the first person the princess showed her beloved birthday present to was Link._

"_Isn't he beautiful…?" Zelda gushed with pride for the steed as her and Link stood in Hyrule Field, watching Epona and the new horse graze. "He's a purebred."_

"_What's his name?" the hero asked._

"_I've decided to call him Sage," the princess said, looking at her horse with admiration. "After the seven sages who protect Hyrule. Father says he's one of the best horses money can buy. I'm glad I finally have my own horse… After three years of riding on Epona with you, I think it's about time I ride for myself."_

_As Zelda was speaking, Link had been examining her new horse from afar, comparing him in size and demeanor to Epona and a few things that Malon had told him about horse anatomy. "Is he fast?" he asked once the princess was through talking._

_Zelda looked at Sage for a moment. "Well I don't know," she said truthfully, having only ridden him one or two times before. "I guess so. He comes from a strong thoroughbred line of royal horses."_

"_That doesn't matter," Link scoffed lightly and Zelda merely rolled her eyes at him. "Do you think he's as fast as Epona?"_

_Zelda grinned at him, seeing the challenge already brewing in his eyes. "Maybe…" she said casually._

"_Do you want to find out?" the hero asked, already prepared for a race._

_Without hesitation, the princess nodded. "But of course," she said assuredly, always ready for an adventure as usual._

* * *

**WRITER'S BLOCK! Sorry this chapter took so long to crank out! I had a lot of good ideas for it, but putting them down is always harder then when they're swimming around in your brain! Anyway, so this was mostly a transition chapter, but I still think a lot happened in it, don't you? There was a little bit of everything here: romance, foreshadowing, angst, even a little humor with Navi and Tatl, which was a ton of fun to write by the way! Be prepared for the next chapter though, cause some heavy action is gonna be going down as well as appearances by some of those Majora's Mask characters I promised you forever ago. And is it just me, or is anyone else missing Veran? hahaha... well please remember to leave a REVIEW or I will sick an angry Navi and Tatl down upon you! Until next time! :D**


	28. Night of Anguish

_Chapter 27_

"Termina…" Veran muttered under her breath as she emerged into the empty streets of Clock Town. "I might have known the two of them would be cowering here… Now all I have to do is lure them out into the open."

The sorceress grinned wickedly to herself and prepared to unleash her wrath upon the unsuspecting town when she suddenly felt an unexplainable surge of dark power emanating across the landscape. Power that she immediately thirsted for. It was almost as if it was calling out to her, just asking her to take possession of it.

"So…" she whispered darkly. "There is power hidden within this forgotten land after all…" Veran snickered triumphantly and held up her hand, where the mark of the Triforce shimmered. "Listen to my command…" she spoke to it, wishing on the golden relic. "Deliver this unknown power into my hands and allow me to subdue it so I may use it to raze this useless land that was abandoned by the goddesses themselves and destroy all those who oppose me!"

The Triforce's glow grew even brighter in response to its mistress' nefarious wish as it sought out this strange power. And sure enough, it materialized within her outstretched hands less than a minute later in its simplest form: a mask. Veran stared at the object intently for several minutes, not in disbelief, but rather in observation. Indeed, a strange and seductive power was emanating from its heart shaped form, its yellow eyes glowing with malice. And as Veran felt this malice and craving for destruction, her lips curled into a malevolent smile. "Ah," she said to herself. "So the myths about the mask that houses the demon that the ancient tribe of this land worshiped are true; Majora is real after all… It seems that my search for more power has not gone in vain…" The Triforce flashed once again, and Veran nodded to it, giving it the silent instructions to begin its work. Under the control of the sorceress and her golden relic, the mask floated into the air and hung there in anticipation as Veran prepared to receive its power.

"Come to me, power of the ancient demon of Termina," she said to the mask as a violet aura began to form around it. "Grant me your power and I shall fulfill your desire for discord and chaos."

The mask's eyes seemed to glow even brighter as Veran said this and when she was finished, it spoke in a quiet yet sadistic voice. "You will _not _control my power," it said defiantly. "For it is I who will control you."

Veran smiled at the mask with confidence, not concerned at all with what it had told her. "So you think, Majora," she said boldly. "But I come to this land yielding a power that you do not know. The power to submit your corrupting might under my control. The power of the golden relic of the gods, the Triforce. And so I leave you with a choice: either be conquered or resign your dark strength to me. If you choose the latter, then I can assure you that we will completely destroy this land that you so despise."

"Your offer is tantalizing," the mask mused. "And I would be willing to accept if it weren't for one possible hindrance to both of our ambitions. Seven years ago I was completely poised to wipe Termina from existence. That is until a vexatious little hero, nothing more than a human child at that, appeared out of nowhere and stood to oppose me. He did not come from this land, but rather from the cherished land of the goddesses, bearing the crest of Farore and the spirit of the hero. Though I had been so close to destroying that spirit, I was bested by the hero and my power was once again sealed away until you called upon me."

Veran expression darkened for a moment at the mention of the hero, but quickly turned into a twisted grin. "Well then," she said wickedly, a plan already formulating in her mind. "It seems that our goals are very much the same. For I came here seeking the destruction of the very same hero you speak of."

The mask's eye flickered with interest. "The hero is here?" it asked, an edge of anger creeping into its normally calm voice. "Surely you jest…"

Veran shook her head. "I do not," she said. "He has come to this land with one of the blood of the goddess Hylia. And at the moment, they are the only two standing in my way of conquering the world."

"If that is the case," the mask said, craving revenge. "Then I will gladly lend you my power. And together, we will take vengeance on this foolish boy who calls himself a hero."

"Yes…" Veran whispered as her triumphant grin grew. She was certain that the mask's hatred for their mutual enemy would serve her well. Lifting up her hand once more, the Triforce flashed again and the mask vanished, its power entered into the sorceress, filling her with even more strength and malice. "Ah…" she breathed, rejuvenated by this new sensation. She watched with wicked excitement as her midriff armor took on the design of the mask, its yellow eyes glowing in admiration of her might. Once the spirit of the ancient demon had fully entered her, Veran let out a triumphant laugh, knowing that she would be even more unstoppable now. "I can't think of a better way to test out our combined powers," she said, glancing around the silent, sleeping town she stood in. "Then a little raw destruction… Don't you agree?" she asked the spirit of the demon residing in her.

"I do…" the demon hissed enthusiastically. "After all, there's no better bait for a hero. Burn a few homes, murder a few civilians… He'll come running at the first frightened scream."

Veran nodded, already lighting a flame of destruction above her outstretched hand as she prepared to set the trap. "Yes…" she whispered darkly. "He will come… They _both _will come…"

* * *

Zelda sat on the edge of the bed, looking down to her feet intently and digging her hands into the mattress so she wouldn't burst into tears again. She had decided that she had already cried enough: for her kingdom, for Impa, for Link…

She took in a shaken deep breath. "He'll be back…" she whispered to herself almost inaudibly. "He always comes back…" She had been telling herself this same statement for the past hour now, but even so she was beyond anxious. She had always been somewhat impatient, but this sort of waiting was torturous. She had no idea if he was alive or dead at the moment and simply not knowing was absolutely the worst part of it. Her mind was completely weighed down by so many questions. Why did he leave in the first place? Why wouldn't he tell her his purpose for leaving or where he was going? What if he really wasn't going to make it back? What if they never saw each other again? What if-?

_No, _Zelda thought, closing her eyes tightly to chase away such thoughts as she remembered something he had said to her before. _I can't think in 'what ifs'… Only 'what wills' now… _But at the moment, she couldn't even think about definites, for nothing was definite at the moment.

But despite her dread, the princess was immediately torn out of her musings the moment an earsplitting explosion rocked Clock Town, the resulting rumble of the earth knocking her completely off the bed and onto the floor. Though her ears were still ringing due to the explosion's close proximity, she vaguely made out the sound of terrified screaming resonating throughout the town. Another explosion, though less immediate quickly boomed somewhere else in town, followed by another round of screams and shouts.

Zelda's breath caught and her eyes widened in sudden panic. She didn't even try to make sense of the situation as she picked herself up from the still shaking ground. At that moment, she thought of nothing else other than escaping. In a blind rush, she threw her cloak back on and grabbed her bow before running out of the inn and into the dark streets. Her jaw dropped in shock and fear as she saw the multitudes of panicking people swarming to flee town through the east gate. Billows of smoke and tongues of flame mingled with the sounds of anguish, death and destruction. But most disturbing of all was the sky, painted the same shade of black that Hyrule's had been ever since Veran's conquest. Without a second thought, Zelda immediately knew who was responsible for this attack. But as she came to this conclusion, another thought finally occurred to her. Link. Where in the world was he in the midst of this nightmarish onslaught? More importantly, was he even still alive?

In sudden desperation, Zelda began to push her way against the raving, fearful crowds towards the southern end of town, hoping to catch a glimpse of his familiar green. "Link!" she shouted, though her voice was lost amidst the countless others who were calling for their lost loved ones in the chaos. "Link!" she tried again as she began to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of the crowd pushing her in the direction of the east gate. Though she hadn't caught sight of the hero yet, she became more hopeful when she finally reached the threshold leading to south Clock Town. However, that hope was quickly dashed when she saw halted by the thick line of soldiers blocking the way, preventing anyone from passing into the western half of town.

Trying not to be seen as she slipped through several members of the throng pushing against the dozens of guards, Zelda edged closer to the forbidden area, but before she could even catch a glimpse of the southern square, a strong hand grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. "Where do you think you're going, little lady?" the soldier who had caught her asked harshly. "This side of town is off limits to everyone under the captain's orders."

"Please, let me go!" Zelda pleaded as the guard began to lead her away from the blockade roughly. "I have to see if a friend of mine is all right over there!"

"Sure you do, doll," the soldier jeered unsympathetically. "So does every other person here. If I were you, I'd skip town with the rest of them. We wouldn't want that pretty face of yours getting messed up, now would we?"

The princess glared at him brutally and struggled against his firm grip, but to no avail. In almost no time at all, he had brought her to the east gate leading to Termina Field. "Out you go!" he commanded, giving her a shove into the throng of people still fleeing.

"No!" Zelda shouted in frustration, desperately trying to push her way back through the crowd before she could be pushed out of town entirely. But it was too late; as hard as she tried, she was swept away in the multitude and all too soon found herself within Termina Field amidst the confusion. For what seemed like an eternity, she was tossed violently by the crowd, still full of screaming, terror-stricken people of all ages as they tried to make sense of the situation, much like she was. She couldn't even see the full scale of the destruction thanks to Clock Town's somehow still standing walls, but she knew that it had to be bad. Many had most likely already lost their lives in the few minutes that it had been going on for, and Zelda feared more than anything else that Link was among them. But for now, as she watched the fearful people mourn over their lost homes and loved ones all she could do was wait. Wait, and pray to the goddesses for his safety once more.

* * *

Without a second thought, Link was racing through Ikana Canyon as fast as he could, hurrying to make it to Clock Town as another explosion rang out from the city. He paid no attention to Navi and Tatl as they called after him, trying their hardest to keep up with him. The only thing he could think of was Zelda, and the terrifying yet very high possibility that she had been caught up in the explosion.

"Link! Wait up!" Navi shouted breathlessly as her and Tatl chased after him. "What if this is all just a trap?"

"Yeah!" Tatl called out. "What if Veran's causing this just so she can get you?"

"I'm almost positive Veran's doing this," he shouted back to them, still running. "And that's why I have to see if Zelda's OK!"

The two fairies glanced at each other worriedly as the hero continued his feverish pace towards town. "What's gotten into him lately?" Tatl asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "I mean, I knew he was hardheaded, but this is ridiculous! He's gonna get himself killed!"

"I think I know…" Navi sighed. "It's 'cause he's in love…"

"With Zelda?"

Navi nodded. "Yeah and you know what they say… People do crazy things when they're in love."

"Like run into burning towns and put on soul-corrupting masks…" Tatl said with a tone of bitterness in her voice. "I've always wondered why he cares about people so much that he's not even concerned about saving his own skin in the slightest…"

A soft smile came across Navi's face, for she knew the answer to this without a doubt. "Because," she said, beating her wings even harder to catch up with Link as she motioned for Tatl to do the same. "He's a hero. He always has been and he always will be. And it's our job to support him in any way we can."

Navi said nothing more as she flew on ahead, leaving Tatl to think about what she had just said. She was right of course, but the Terminian fairy had never really thought of it in that way before, though maybe she should have. After all, it was the very reason why she had been compelled to follow him onto the moon to defeat Majora's Mask seven years ago, even though it could easily have ended in disaster. And so she decided that she was going to trust the hero knew what he was doing and follow him loyally, even into the face of absolute uncertainty.

The moment Link broke into the visibility of Termina Field, he finally stopped in his tracks at the sight of Clock Town, alight with fire in the distance. The Clock Tower, the very icon of Termina's central landmark, no longer rose above the walls of the city, showing that it had clearly been destroyed in one of the explosions. Sounds of chaos and fear seemed to be ringing out from everywhere as thick smoke cascaded into the pitch black sky. As Link surveyed the landscape of destruction and terror, he clutched the Fierce Deity's Mask even tighter, hating Veran more than ever before for shattering their last safe haven. Though he was tempted to put the mask on right then and there, he had decided not to do it until he absolutely needed to. After all, if there were any measures he could take to prevent his soul from being corrupted, then he would gladly take them, for Zelda's sake more than his own.

Navi and Tatl finally caught up with him, but said nothing as he continued towards Clock Town. From his place on the eastern side of the field, Link cloud tell that there had been a crowd here not too long ago from the scattered belongings that had been lost in the chaos, but the townsfolk had clearly all moved on, fleeing to safer parts. The hero could only hope that Zelda had been among them and not among those lying cold and unmoving under the rubble within the town's walls.

The gateway to the east side of town was clear; the soldiers that had previously been guarding it had scurried off like cowards as soon as the city had been fully evacuated. Link hurried in with Navi and Tatl floating silently by his side, his sword already drawn as he searched for any sign of the princess. Thankfully he found none, which meant that she had most likely escaped in time, but what he did find unnerved him nonetheless. Dead bodies lied at almost every turn amidst destroyed buildings, making it a scene even grimmer than Castle Town. Many of the shops and homes were still burning; the ones that were not had already crumbled fully to the ground, but it was easy to see that Veran had spared nothing in this slaughter. But the hero couldn't help but feel guilty though. If he had been there, maybe he could have prevented this murderous attack from ever happening in the first place.

As Link entered into south Clock Town, he stopped and stared in shock for a moment at the complete devastation that he saw. Indeed, the Clock Tower had been the epicenter of the first explosion, as almost no rubble remained from it, save for a portion of its large face lying near the southern gate. The surrounding area was completely decimated and it seemed as though the entire west side of town had been leveled as well, since the wall the separated the two sections was no longer standing and neither were any of its buildings. Obviously, Veran had spilled her wrath out on the very heart of Termina with the most intensity, but why? What reason was there for killing so many innocents? Or was there really any reasoning behind her wicked actions at all?

Suddenly, a cold, sinister laugh echoed throughout the silent square; a laugh that Link had been dreading to hear. ""Well, well, hero…" Veran cooed from wherever her current hiding spot was. "It has certainly been awhile… I must apologize about my little 'pet' wolfos' failure to kill you and the princess back in Hyrule. Now it looks like I'll have the pleasure of undertaking that task myself."

Link said nothing as he gripped both the Master Sword and the Fierce Deity's Mask tighter, glancing around for the sorceress in case she decided to launch a sneak attack. "Speaking of which…" Veran continued. "Where is the princess anyway? I figured that she'd be here with you, but she's nowhere to be found. Perhaps she's already dead… But even if she's not it doesn't matter; she'll be the very next one to fall after you."

Link knew that Veran was merely trying to unnerve him, but he hated her jarring taunts all the same. "If you want a fight so badly, then why don't you quit hiding and face me," the hero challenged boldly, holding the Master Sword in front of him to show her that he was not about to back down.

"Ha," the sorceress scoffed. "You hold that sword aloft like it will actually help you. How foolish… But, who am I to disappoint?" Without another word, Veran appeared in her usual burst of violet flame with the same wicked smirk painted on her face. But upon seeing her redesigned midriff armor, both Link and Tatl gasped in surprise, immediately recognizing the image it now bore.

"Majora's Mask!" Tatl shouted in shock, catching a look of confusion from Navi, though the other fairy didn't bother to explain.

"That's impossible!" Link said, staring at the mask's evil glowing eyes in disbelief. All at once, it seemed that everything had had worked for in Termina seven years ago, from saving the people from the falling moon to defeating Majora had been undone in one night thanks to Veran. Now it appeared that the sorceress not only had control of the omnipotent power of the Triforce but also the destructive power of Majora's Mask. Link could only hope that the Fierce Deity's Mask would be remotely strong enough to counteract the two of them combined.

Veran grinned down at the mask with pride. "Incredible, isn't it?" she asked. "We have quite the symbiotic relationship. This simple show of destruction here is only a small sample of the power that I now hold. Power that all people of both Hyrule and Termina will fall to. Power that the goddesses themselves will fall to. Power that _you _will fall to."

The hero glared relentlessly at the sorceress who had caused so much ruin and suffering already. Who had torn Hyrule and Termina down from its former glory. Who had ended so many innocent lives, including Malon's. Who had ripped almost everything away from him and the princess. Who had to be stopped at all costs. And that was exactly what he intended to do. "Never…" he said, his voice full of fury and determination. He brandished the Master Sword, its blade shimmering with light and hope.

Veran glared hatefully at him, forming one of her signature blue flames to strike him with. But before she could even send it flying towards him, she was stopped by the spirit of the demon resting inside of her. Its power flared in sudden alarm but also excitement; as if it had taken notice of something that she had not. "Wait!" Majora spoke to her in a voice only she could hear. "Do you see the mask he holds in his other hand? It is the Fierce Deity's Mask, containing the soul of a hero I corrupted ages ago. When I reemerged into this land seven years ago, I gave it to the boy in order to corrupt his soul as well and bring about his downfall, but he was lucky I suppose and turned its great power against me. But now…"

"Now, it could be the very thing I've been looking for…" Veran exclaimed back to the mask in her thoughts. "The only way to break the unbreakable… Of course! If his soul is corrupted, then the hero's spirit within him will certainly be destroyed! And then, no hero will rise to oppose me ever again. My reign will endure, unchallenged forever!"

"And once that wretched spirit of his is eradicated," Majora said maliciously. "You can use the Triforce to submit the power of the Deity to your control. Just think of it: our greatest enemy will become our greatest ally!"

"Yes!" Veran grinned evilly, ready to carry out this plan with absolute certainty. "All I need to do is get him to put it on and the rest will follow. And luckily for us, I know his sole weakness."

The entire exchange lasted less than a minute but once it was over Veran's wicked grin deepened as she let her tongue of flame fly towards the hero. Link was ready for it though, so he dodged the fire with ease but the sorceress did not hesitate to send another one reeling his way. This time, he batted it back at her with the Master Sword, but she snapped her fingers to dispel it before it could hit her. This exchange of stalemate attacks continued for several turns, but neither one of them got any closer to landing a strike on the other. That is until Veran noticed that the hero was finally getting fatigued after what seemed like an eternity. And so, she let lose a barrage of violet flames at him, knowing that he couldn't possibly dodge them all and sure enough she was right. Though Link tired his hardest to dodge and repel the flames, one struck him hard in the chest, sending him flying back into the northern wall of the area and knocking the Master Sword of out his grasp. It hurt, but only for a moment, making him wonder why Veran wasn't unleashing any lethal attacks considering her newfound power. But he quickly found out when he tried to pick himself back up but discovered that he was completely unable to move. Her blast had paralyzed him, leaving him completely and utterly venerable as he lay against the wall.

The sorceress of shadow approached him in slow, silent steps, her expression twisted and cruel. She stopped a few inches away from him and looked down at him piercingly. "Pathetic…" she whispered, her voice thick with muted hatred as she leaned her face into his. His eyes widened, realizing that she intended to end this right here and now and there was nothing he could do to stop her. "This is twice now I've bested you. What a joke it is that they even call you a hero. Heroes do not fear anything. But you… You are afraid. I can see it in your eyes. I've finally crushed that annoying unshakable courage of yours… because I know… you're not afraid of what I will do to you. You're afraid of what I will do to _her…_"

The moment Veran said this, time seemed to stop as the feeling slowly returned to his right hand, in which he held the Fierce Deity's Mask. She was right; Link knew without a doubt she was right. He couldn't even deny to himself the fact that he feared for Zelda's safety and well being above all else. Veran could do anything she pleased to him. She could burn him, stab him, even kill him but she would never break him. The only thing that could even remotely do that would be for him to have to witness the princess' death. If she were to die, it would completely destroy him on the inside. He had never cared about someone so much before in his life. His devotion to her was limitless, even to the point that he would gladly give his life and his soul to keep her safe.

And in that crucial moment, as the ruins of the destroyed town continued to smolder, as the princess anxiously awaited to return to her hero somewhere outside of it, as the two fairies flittered beside him in baited silence and as the sorceress stared down at him with heartless cruelty, the hero thought of nothing else but the princess he was so devoted to, the princess he loved, as he slowly and silently put the soul-corrupting mask on.

* * *

_The glowing sun bore down heavy on the scorched Gerudo Valley, as it did every day. Having spent the better half of the morning racing across Hyrule Field, Link and Zelda rode their horses into the area, stopping just before the long, thin plank of wood that stretched across an ankle deep pool of water, leading to the valley itself. While their previous competitions had been for comparing the horses in the area of speed, this new challenge they had come up with would test agility. _

"_So all you have to do is cross over it as fast you can," Link said to Zelda as they sat atop their steeds near the makeshift bridge. "Simple enough, right?"_

"_I don't know…" Zelda said a bit skeptically as she eyed the piece of wood, not certain about its durability. "Are you sure it's safe?"_

_The hero nodded. "I'm positive. I've done this a bunch of times. Come on, it'll be fun."_

_The princess sighed in slight exasperation as she watched him get ready to go first. "Ok…" she said, a small smile appearing on her face. "But, please be careful…"_

_Link grinned at her as he and Epona approached the starting point. "I'm never careful," he said confidently. "It's too boring."_

_Zelda couldn't help but let out a small chuckle out at this as she watched him start Epona into a steady gallop towards the plank. With swift feet the horse raced towards the thin piece of wood with sure footing and for a moment, it seemed like she was going to race right over it with ease. But as she neared the bridge, Link glanced back at Zelda to give her another playful grin, taking his eyes off of Epona's course for only a second. But what he didn't see the princess did, for as the horse's hooves made contact with the wood, one of them accidently slipped over the side. Epona panicked, and caught herself by rearing, unknowingly throwing her master off due to his relaxed grip on her reigns. _

_Zelda gasped in fear and shock as she watched the hero fall off of his horse, hitting his leg hard against the plank on the way down and crash landing into the shallow water below. And, without a second thought, she had already lept of her horse and was racing over to him to see if he was alright._

* * *

**OH! CLIFF HANGAH! hahaha... Yeah, sorry about leaving you guys on yet another cliffhanger. I had meant to make this chapter much longer originally but then I realized that it would have been much too long! So, looks like things are really heating up, huh? But you know what, we're not even at the climax yet! Yeah! Sometimes I feel like this story will never end even though I have a clear cut plan for it... and the worst part is, that even when this one's done, I'll still have two more stories to write in this trilogy! :O So busy! Anyway, REVIEW as always! Until next time!**


	29. The Power of the Deity

_Chapter 28_

It took what seemed like ages for the thick crowd in Termina Field to disperse. Most people had fled to the Snowhead Region, believing that they would be safer in the highlands under the protection of the strong, hospitable Gorons who dwelled there. Though it took longer for the soldiers to take off, they eventually did once all the townsfolk who were still able to had escaped.

In an attempt to find an alternate route into town that was left unguarded, Zelda had circled the city walls at a safe distance. She had to get in there at all costs; otherwise her mind would never see another moment of ease ever again. She had to know if he was there, if he was alright. Upon finding the entrance to south Clock Town free of soldiers blocking the path, the princess prepared to slip in that way, despite the large amount of rubble fallen in the gateway. But before she could even approach the steps leading to the gate, several high-pitched, unearthly cackles rang out across the field. Zelda stopped in her tracks upon hearing them and, noticing the rapid chill that had suddenly come over the area, she slowly gripped the Bow of Light strapped to her back before turning around to face whatever had emerged onto the field.

She gasped when she saw the sizeable army of lantern-wielding, hooded wraiths slowly etching their way across the field towards her. "Poes…" she whispered tensely, already creating a light arrow to send into their flock. Her mind briefly flashed back to her encounter with the wolfos in Hyrule Field and the painful memory that had transpired along with it. But this time, it seemed as though she would have to fend off this attack on her own, since Impa was no longer around to protect her and she didn't even know if Link was still alive at the moment. So, the princess took in a deep breath and sent the first arrow into the crowd of Poes, one of them dissipating into thin air the moment the light-tipped projectile struck it. Zelda didn't hesitate to send more their way, offing several of them in a quick succession. To give herself more space and to make sure she would not be cornered, she moved away from the walls of Clock Town and back down into the middle of the field, keeping a close eye on her targets all the while. With each Poe she defeated, she became a gradually more confident that this was a fight she would breeze out of in a short amount of time. After all, on more than one occasion she had been brazen enough to fire off two or three arrows at once and she rarely missed her mark. But the tides quickly turned against her when another group of Poes appeared a few feet behind her, quickly pairing up with their brethren to circle and surround her. Zelda scowled at the specters in aggravation and determination and shot off another round of arrows, but even so the Poes kept coming.

For several long lasting minutes, it seemed as if the princess and the ghosts had reached a stalemate; their number did not stop increasing, but they never advanced too far on her. But Zelda knew that she had to end this and fast; time was of the essence right now and she couldn't afford to spend it dealing with a bunch of second-rate phantoms. What she really could have used at a moment like this was an extra pair of hands to help her get the job done twice as fast. What she really wanted and needed at a moment like this was Link.

But as she bitterly reminded herself again that he was nowhere to be found, she heard the sudden sound of a horse's battle-ready neigh close by. She looked to the north as she released several arrows at a few of the Poes in that direction and spotted its source. Though they were still quite a ways off from her position, a young man, not much younger than Zelda, was using his own bow to shoot down the ghosts from atop his brown and white steed. From what the princess could make out, the boy wore a brown pageboy cap, thick bright red bangs sticking out from underneath it. He wore a simple brown hunting jacket with matching brown slacks and leather boots. The only color other than brown accentuating from his outfit was a bright orange ascot wrapped clipped loosely around his neck by a gold broach. The boy plowed his horse through the crowd of Poes, but Zelda couldn't afford to keep her eyes on him. She had the advancing specters to deal with and besides, it seemed like he wanted to help her so why bother him?

The boy cut through to the center of the circle of Poes, where Zelda was fighting them off. Leaping off his horse and giving him the order to retreat, he stood behind the princess and fought with her, not speaking a word to her. Together, the two of them pushed back the ghosts considerably, until the multitude had been vanquished without incident.

Upon hitting the final Poe with a light arrow, Zelda let out a sigh of relief and turned to thank the kind soul who had come out of nowhere to help her. "Thank you…" she said gratefully to the boy, who still had his back turned to her. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along. May I ask what your name is?"

The boy let out an amused yet somewhat bitter snicker. "You don't recognize me, do you Zelda?" he said in a decidedly feminine voice. "I would have guessed that. After all, we've only ever met once before. But now… I doubt even my own sister would recognize me anymore…"

The boy finally turned to face her and that was when Zelda saw that he wasn't a boy at all, but rather a girl, and a remarkably familiar girl at that. A girl that the princess had met not too long ago. "Romani?" she asked in disbelief, wondering the most about the younger ranch girl's scarlet hair, which had once stretched long down her back, but was now sloppily chopped down to little more than an inch past her ears, which, when paired with the men's clothing she was wearing, made her very much look like a boy. "What happened to your hair?" she asked before she could stop herself, knowing a question like that was quite rude to just blurt out.

Romani gave her a joyless grin. "It got singed right off," she answered with a sigh. "Our barn caught fire less than a few hours ago and Cremia told me to run into town and get some help. I did, but not long after I got there, the first explosion happened. I was in west Clock Town, trying to find a soldier to help us but suddenly another explosion was set off only a few seconds after the first one. I almost didn't make it out alive. I was lucky that the only thing I lost in those raging fires was my hair; after all, it'll grow back eventually. But all of those people…" she trailed off, an empty sorrow in her eyes. Clearly, she had seen so much death in such a short amount of time. Though their first encounter had been brief, Zelda remembered that the ranch girl had been vibrant, excited and bubbly but now she was subdued, remorseful, and pained. And the princess had a feeling Romani, among countless others, would walk away from this night with lasting turmoil all because of Veran's senseless cruelty.

"I'm sorry Romani," Zelda said with sincerity.

The ranch girl simply shook her head, looking down to the ground with little emotion. "Don't be," she said quietly. "After all, there are folks out there who are much worse off than me. Who really knows what's going on around here, what, with the explosions, ghosts and everything else?" She was silent for a brief moment, until a thought occurred to her. "Speaking of which, where's Grasshopper? He's gotta be around here somewhere, right?"

Zelda gasped in sudden realization, ashamed of herself for briefly forgetting about her hero in the fray. "Link!" She exclaimed, glancing in the direction of Clock Town. "Oh goddesses, how could I forget?! I have no idea where he is!"

"Well," Romani began to offer. "I can help you look-" She was suddenly cut off as a loud painful scream rang out across Termina Field, coming from the direction of Romani Ranch. "Cremia…" Romani's eyes widened in shock as her bow slipped out of her hands and fell to the ground. "Cremia!" She shouted in sudden desperation, poising her ears to listen for her sister's cry and sure enough it came, pained and distraught from the ranch. "Romani!" Cremia called back, obviously as loud as she could for her little sister to hear.

Romani's breathing suddenly hitched in fear. "I'm sorry," she hurriedly said to Zelda as she picked her bow up. "But I have to-"

"I know," Zelda nodded with solemn understanding. "Go help her."

"Thanks," Romani breathed diffidently. "Good luck…"

"Thank you," the princess said, referring to her earlier kindness. "And good luck to you too."

The ranch girl nodded as she whistled for her horse, which quickly came back to her. With one final goodbye, Romani rode off as fast as she could towards the ranch and towards her sister. Zelda sent a silent prayer to the goddesses that everything would be alright for her and for everyone in Termina really. These people, much like the people of Hyrule, were all innocent victims of Veran's destruction. But for the first time, Zelda felt like she was taking notice that this wasn't just her and Link's problem, it was a problem plaguing the citizens of both worlds, as different as they may have been. A problem that needed to end as soon as possible so that no more innocent blood would be shed.

However, as Zelda watched Romani disappear past the entrance to Milk Road, a sudden earsplitting explosion boomed from the nearby smoldering ruins of Clock Town. The princess' eyes widened in fear and suspense as she struggled to maintain her footing on the quaking earth beneath her as she turned to the destroyed town. The moment she did however, she was blinded by a bright flash of white light, which seemed to stretch across all of Termina from its center.

Zelda froze in stunned fear for a moment as the light faded. For some reason, her heart began to race rapidly, as if anticipating that danger was close; extremely close. She stared at Clock Town for several minutes, trying to see if any new fires had erupted but no knew bursts of flame or plumes of smoke rose over the preexisting ones. Certainly, Veran was within the walls of the town, but what Zelda couldn't understand was why she had set off another explosion. The city was abandoned, so what purpose would it serve the sorceress of shadow to level the place once more, unless…

The sharp gasp escaped the princess. Link had to be in there. It was the only explanation, the only reason why Veran would detonate a third explosion. But at the moment, Zelda didn't allow herself to think about whether or not he had survived the most recent blast. Instead, with her heart and mind both racing, she grasped the Bow of Light as tightly as she could and steadily walked to the south gate of the desolate town, wondering what other wretched surprises this night could possibly bring.

* * *

A wicked grin was spread across Veran's face as she patiently watched the hero put the Fierce Deity's Mask on, knowing that everything was going exactly according to her evil plan. Snapping her fingers once more, she set off a third and final explosion within east Clock Town as a proclamation of her victory. After all, it was the only part of town that had not been completely leveled yet and she figured that she might as well finish her destructive job. No more than a second after the blast, a bright flash of white light enveloped the area, blinding even the sorceress so that she was forced to look away as the mask transformed Link and granted him its power. It was only as the light burst forth across the landscape that Navi and Tatl realized what he had done and they screamed out desperately for him to stop, though they both knew it was already too late. Immediately, the hero felt the corrupting spirit of the mask fill him, taking over his senses and movement, but he fought hard to keep his mind focused on Zelda, knowing she was perhaps the only thought that could possibly keep him sane against the mask's tempting power.

As the light faded, Veran turned to look at her transformed adversary, feeling the great power emanating from him and craving it for her own. The spirit of Majora pulsed in heated vengeance at the mere sight of the Fierce Deity, but the sorceress suddenly frowned hatefully as she noticed that something was wrong.

"Yes!" the demon hissed triumphantly to her. "He is finally ours!"

Veran shook her head as her expression darkened even more. "No…" she said back to it in her thoughts. "The Spirit of the Hero still persists. I can sense it. The mask has not corrupted him yet. It appears he's clinging onto some shred of hope that's somehow sustaining him."

"Then destroy that hope!" Majora screeched in frustration. "Strike him down until he is unable to stand any longer. The power granted to him by that mask may be great, but ours is stronger, by far…"

Veran narrowed her eyes at the Deity and simply nodded, ready to finish this once and for all. As this momentary exchange was taking place, however Navi and Tatl flittered around Link in a panic, desperately trying to bring him back to them from behind the mask he wore.

""Link!" Navi cried, wishing she had refused to let him do this instead of simply suggesting that he shouldn't. "Please, take the mask off!"

"He can't hear you!" Tatl shouted, equally distraught. "Believe me; I tried to get through to him the same way the last time he pulled this little stunt. It's like the mask takes over him entirely. All we can do now is hope that he'll be able to take it off in the end…"

The Hylian fairy sucked in a nervous breath but nodded all the same. There was nothing either of them could do at this point. This was his fight now, against both the Sorceress of Shadows and the soul-corrupting mask itself.

By now, the battle was clearly set to commence and so it did. Veran was the first to attack, alighting two deadly violet flames above both her hands and quickly slung them towards the Deity. Link barely even flinched as he quickly swung his sword at the large tongues of fire, the flames dissipating into thin air the moment they made contact with the double-helix blade. Veran's cruel scowl deepened at him as she snapped her fingers, causing a sharp, curved rapier to appear in her hand. She swung it broadly at the hero, who countered by blocking it with his own sword and, using his formidable strength, was able to push her back several feet into a pile of ruins. The sorceress quickly picked herself back up and formed a barrier around herself as Link finally took the offensive, rushing at her this time with his blade ready to strike. Veran screamed in fury and slight pain as her barrier crashed around her when he brutally struck it.

"What are you doing?!" Majora shrieked at her. "I thought you were powerful! Yet you're letting this mere boy pummel you into the ground!"

"His power is great…" Veran responded as she caught her lost breath. "He fights with so little effort now… Before he was so easy to conquer, but now, with that mask, it is as though he is invincible!"

"The power that the Fierce Deity's Mask gives him matters little!" the demon yelled angrily. "He is still only human! He is still susceptible to your power! To our power!"

Veran's grip on her rapier tightened as the demon spoke to her, hating the hero more than ever before. "I will not be made a fool out of by this simple child…" she hissed aloud, craving nothing more than his immediate destruction. "He will fall. He will not be my undoing!" Her voice rose to a vicious crescendo as she pointed the tip of her blade at him, her red and yellow eye alight with hatred and blood-lust as she set off another explosion right in front of him, in hopes of slaughtering the hero once and for all.

Zelda was in the threshold of the southern gate as the fourth explosion rocked Clock Town once more. Unable to stand against the violently quaking earth, she fell to the ground, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. She was deafened by the blast due to its close proximity to her as she simply sat there for a moment, trying to rearrange her suddenly scattered thoughts. But as she stumbled to her feet and looked straight ahead, her breath caught and her heart nearly stopped from fear of the sight of the figure that stood a mere few feet away from her.

"Veran…" she mouthed nervously, though she silently praised the goddesses that the sorceress had not taken notice of her presence yet. Instead, Veran had her scornful attention focused on something else entirely, but Zelda knew it wouldn't stay there for long. Panicked, the princess glanced in all directions, looking for a place to take refuge out of her sight and found such a place in the remains of the Clock Tower's face, lying in ruins not too far away from her. Taking her chance, Zelda dashed for the ruins, crouching behind them just as Veran glanced over at the southern gate where she had just been standing, believing that she had seen movement in that direction, but she quickly dismissed the notion. The sorceress instead returned her attention back to the spot of the explosion, her face tight with anticipation. But much to her complete shock, as the dust cleared from the blast, the Deity emerged, completely unphased from an explosion that should have killed him.

Meanwhile, Zelda hid behind the rubble, taking in quick, fearful breaths. She had no idea what to do at a moment like this. If Veran were to find her, cowering only a few feet behind her, with only a decrepit pile of rubble as her only protection… it would certainly mean death. The sorceress wouldn't hesitate to kill her, considering she was all alone… The princess closed her eyes and prayed to the goddesses for safety as she wondered if that fact was really true. But all the same, she knew she had to at least try to gain the upper hand while she still had the chance if a fight was about to ensure. And so quickly, while Veran still had her back turned to her, Zelda aimed her bow over the top of the clock face, tentatively raising her head above it as she took aim at the sorceress. But as she pulled her arrow back, she glanced past Veran to see the other figure that stood on the field of battle opposing her.

Zelda let out a sharp gasp of surprise as her focus broke, casing her light arrow to dissipate into thin air. Time seemed to stand still as she stared at him with wide, unbelieving eyes, but sure enough it was Link, though she hardly recognized him. The first thing she noticed was his eyes, pure white and pupil-less, accentuated by the red and blue war paint markings on his face, as he silently stared the sorceress down. His once blonde hair was now a silvery shade of white and his usual green tunic and cap were both now light blue, coupled with a metallic cuirass and gauntlets and black leggings. The princess also noted that he was taller, much taller in fact, towering over even Veran by at least a foot and a half, making Zelda look very small by comparison. But, as the moment she spotted the double-helix blade he yielded in his hand, she dropped her bow and let out a fearful gasp of shock. Her mind flashed back to a dream, or a nightmare rather, that she had not too long ago, in which he had used that very same glowing sword to strike her down at Veran's command. Though it had been a while ago since she had that nightmare, the details and the horror she had felt were still fresh in her mind as she locked her gaze onto the ominous sword, realizing in terror that her life could end by it in a matter of seconds.

However, as Zelda accidently dropped her bow, Veran had clearly heard the clatter of the golden weapon as it fell to the ground. And the princess luckily moved her gaze from her hero to the sorceress as she began to look back in her direction. As much as she feared the terrifying form Link had taken on, she feared Veran's destructive power just a bit more. Thinking quickly and hoping Veran wouldn't spot her, Zelda slipped back down behind the clock face, holding her breath in anxious anticipation.

Unbeknownst to the princess, the sorceress had unfortunately seen her as she went back into hiding, but just barely. Even so, her lips curled into a devious grin as the Deity rushed for her violently once more. "So the princess has arrived after all…" she whispered darkly as she repelled him by casting a wall of blue flame around herself. But as she looked back to the ruins that Zelda was hiding behind, planning what method she would use to easily slaughter the princess, Link broke through her fiery barrier and shot a powerful sword beam at her, finally landing a direct hit. Veran screeched in agony as the beam burned her midriff, leaving a heavy scar.

"You infernal hero!" she shouted at him in blind rage. "I swear with every part of my being that I will destroy you!"

As Veran screamed at the hero, Zelda peeked over the top of the clock face once more to see the sorceress grasping her abdomen in pain. In the midst of the extreme fear and foreboding that she was feeling at the moment, a small spring of hope burst forth inside of her. Merely seeing Veran take a hit, even one as minor as this, proved that she was not as invincible as she had seemed before. That there was a chance, however small, that she could be defeated. But at what cost? If the only way to damage Veran was for Link to take on this frightening form, then, in Zelda's opinion, it wasn't worth it. As much as she wanted to see the defeat of the sorceress, she didn't want to lose her hero over it.

Veran was just about to let loose another reckless attack when a sudden plan came to her. Her grinned wickedly as she lifted herself up into the air to levitate. Majora sensed her sudden intention to flee and immediately questioned her.

"What are you doing?!" it asked harshly as she slowly began to glide backwards, away from the hero. "You can't possibly run away at a time like this!"

Veran shook her head. "I am not running away," she explained with a dark smirk. "I'm simply stalling. We've reached a stalemate and I have just figured out how to break it. But now is neither the time nor the place. I will let them walk away with their lives for now. I musts strike them both down within the treasured land of the goddesses for it is there that the gate to the Sacred Realm awaits… and once I conquer that realm, then even the goddesses themselves will be at my command!"

Majora was silent for a moment but agreed to her plan nonetheless. Veran watched with her constant, ominous grin as the hero chased after her, clearly wanting to end this here and now. Her evil smile deepened as she passed high over the princess who was wrapped up in her dark cloak to conceal herself from view within her hiding spot. "Foolish children…" she said to herself. "Both of them… To think that two so young and simple could be such a hindrance in my plans… But very soon, they'll impede my way no longer… Very soon…" With a triumphant snicker, the sorceress of shadows passed over the walls of Clock Town, disappearing from the land of Termina in a burst of violet flame and returning to Hyrule once more to begin preparations for her plan.

Zelda looked up tentatively and watched as Veran vanished, letting out a sigh of relief, thankful that she wasn't going to cause any more damage than she already had. However, as she stood up from behind the clock face, she turned to see Link running straight for her, his blank yet fierce gaze focused on the dark skies that the sorceress had disappeared into as he grasped his large sword with both hands. Zelda gasped sharply, but at that moment all fear left her and the only thing she could think about was returning him to normal if she could at all. She quickly ran to stand in front of the clock face, holding up her arms and shouting out his name in an attempt to get through to him.

"Link!" she called in firm desperation. "Stop!"

He did so, only a few feet away from her but his glaring gaze was still focused on the skies as he searched them in a futile attempt to locate his adversary. Zelda stared up at him in awe and fear as he towered several feet over her. Her gaze locked onto his pure white eyes, so distant yet so focused at the same time. And it seemed that at the moment, the only thing they were focused on was the destruction of their common foe. In entranced astonishment, the princess slowly and hesitantly began to reach up her hand to touch his.

Navi and Tatl, who up until this point had been hiding out of the way of the battle between the sorceress and the hero and watching it fearfully, finally caught sight of the princess and what she was about to do.

"Zelda!" Tatl cried out, flying quickly towards her with Navi in tow and remembering the potential dangers of even trying to even touch the hero in such a state. "Wait! Don't-"

But it was too late. Zelda, in all her tense wonderment, did not heed the fairy's warning and gently placed her hand on his. The moment she did, he snapped his head down to look at her. Her eyes were wide with dread as she gazed into the face that she thought she knew so well, but seemed so foreign now. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as she kept her hand there, trying to see past his colorless eyes to the hero she loved, the hero she knew was still in there. "What's happened to you…?" she dared to whisper in a voice only he would be able to hear. Of course, she had no way of knowing anything about his use of the Fierce Deity's Mask or its soul-corrupting properties, but she did know that she desperately craved his presence. She wanted and needed the _real _Link, not the formidable and fearsome warrior that stood before her now. But even with all of her desiring and hoping, she had no idea how to bring him back to her, if he could even come back at all.

All too soon that moment of tense searching ended, for suddenly the Deity stepped away from her touch, much to her grief. Her breath caught as she watched him hold his deadly blade back, preparing to take a swing. At her. Tears began to fall from Zelda's eyes but she did not run. She had time to, but she refused to. If he was truly gone, if he was no longer with her, then there was no point in trying to escape this. She saw no point in trying to save herself to survive in a world where he wouldn't be. If fate had determined that both of them be lost, then they might as well be lost together instead of alive and alone.

And so the princess stood firm and closed her eyes, not wanting to see him as he swung that dreaded blade at her. She imagined him as he truly was for perhaps the last time, savoring the bittersweet image for her final moments. With hot tears streaming down her face, she whispered her final goodbye as he began to swing his sword at her. "Link… I love you…"

The blade swung past her in a rush of cold air, barely missing her neck by a few inches. She felt it clearly, but she kept her eyes shut all the same until she heard his sharp, ragged, uncontrollable breathing a second later. She hesitantly opened her eyes and saw him, finally returned to normal though his fearful blue eyes still did not focus on her. She froze in shock as she stared at him, trying to figure out if this was real or not. In tight anxiety, she watched as he weakly collapsed to his knees from intense physical and mental stress, and suddenly both heartbreak and pity set in. She kneeled down to his level and stared into his light blue eyes, confirming that he had returned to her, though he still would not look her in the eyes on his own accord. She wondered what he could possibly be thinking at a moment like this, but she didn't say a word. Instead, she continued to look into them as she listened to his heavy breathing, somehow being comforted by it.

She noticed when his eyes closed and he began to fall forward, slipping into unconsciousness from the great strain that the transformation had put on him. Her eyes widened and she immediately leaned forward to catch him as best as she could, holding him tightly in her arms and refusing to let go so she wouldn't lose him again. She had already lost him too many times already. She was not going to lose him anymore.

* * *

_Zelda breathlessly ran down the embankment and into the small pool of water where Link lay, apparently unconscious from the fall. Her breath caught when she noticed the twisted position his right leg was in and she prayed to Farore that it was nothing serious. _

"_Link…?" she called worriedly, gently shaking his shoulder to rouse him. Luckily for her scattered nerves, he came to almost immediately, though he was a bit dazed from hitting his head. _

"_Zelda…" he mumbled as he attempted to pull himself up into a sitting position but immediately recoiled at the pain in his leg. The princess let out a quick gasp as she moved to examine it._

_Looking it over, she frowned and shook her head. "Oh goddesses…" she said in both aggravation and anxiety. "I think it's broken!" She looked to the hero and furrowed her brow in frustration. "Nice going Link," she said with angry sarcasm. "You're always so reckless! I told you this was dangerous! But you never listen!"_

_Link frowned back at her, but simply shook his head, not appearing to be too concerned. "Zelda, calm down. It's not that bad…" he said, trying to calm her down._

"_Yes it is!" she scowled crossly at him. "Now because of your carelessness, you're going to have to be in bed for days, and we won't be able to go anywhere or do anything, or-"_

"_Zelda," the hero said firmly, cutting her off. "Calm down. It's ok. I can take care of it."_

_The princess wanted to get a word in edgewise and continue arguing, but she simply took in a huffy breath of anger as she crossed her arms and pouted. She watched in frustration and confusion as he took out bottle containing a healing fairy and let the sprite go free and sprinkle her curing magic over his broken leg. She rolled her eyes in annoyance with both him and herself, forgetting that he was always so resourceful. But nonetheless, she helped him to his feet and watched as he tested his healed leg and sure enough there was no pain. When the calamity was over, Link gave Zelda a bright smile, as if he was silently saying "I told you so." She did her best to return it with a biting glare but soon enough she found herself grinning as well as she made her way back to her horse. And of course, her immediate reaction was to smile and simply shake her head in amusement when the hero asked her, "So, you wanna try again?"_

* * *

**Sorry for this taking longer than usual. I took a little break from this to work on one of my other stories :) but now we're getting into the real juicy stuff huh? This chapter was both fun and challenging to write because it involved action which i'm ok at and angst, which i love to write! But either way, we're getting down to the climax here soon! And i can promise you guys that if your loving this story so far, you'll be simply AMAZED at its ending. :D So, leave a REVIEW as always. Until next time!**

**BTW... If you like Twilight Princess music and haven't listened to ZREO's Twilight Symphony yet, then i HIGHLY suggest you go do so. Like RIGHT NOW. Its what i've been listening to while typing most of this chapter and its so awesome and well done! If you wanna listen to it, then click this link to my YT page: user/SuperMarioGirl24 You won't be disappointed! ;D  
**


	30. The Princess and her Hero

_Chapter 29_

Zelda quietly hummed her lullaby as she gently ran her fingers through Link's hair while he lay still unconscious with his head positioned on the her lap. She sighed wistfully as she gazed down into his almost peaceful face with both love and longing. Only a few hours ago, the two of them had blissfully stood in this very square, holding hands as the pure sunshine poured down upon them. But now they sat within its unrecognizable remains, under a starless sky thick with darkness, trying to pick up the pieces of everything that had come crashing down around them. Zelda could hardly remember a time when her life was not in shambles: when she had been sheltered by youthful innocence and peace. But that was all in the past now. Both of them had been thrust into such a cruel destiny, one that bound them together, but the princess didn't want that to be the only thing that bound them. If, when their destiny was over, they were still left alive, then she didn't want to be a moment apart from him, especially after having been so close to forever losing him.

As she tenderly stoked her hero's face, her eyes wandered down to the ground not too far from his side. There, she spotted a mysterious mask lying on the ground, its face quite identical to what his had looked like mere moments ago. Tentatively, she picked it up and examined it closer, feeling a strange power emanating from it. Almost immediately, Zelda knew that this mask had caused his transformation, as she vaguely remembered something that he had told her a long time ago. But nonetheless, she needed more information now and seeing as how Link was unable to give her any at the moment, she decided to go to the next best source.

"Tatl," she said, finally breaking the empty silence of the area. The Terminian fairy got up from sitting on some of the nearby rubble and flittered over, Navi following not too far behind.

Zelda held the mask up so Tatl could see it. "What is this?" she asked quietly, prepared for whatever answers she hoped the fairy could give.

"That's the Fierce Deity's Mask," the yellow fairy responded. "Link used it seven years ago to defeat Majora, and he almost wasn't able to take it off back then. I'm still shocked that he was able to this time…"

Zelda pursed her lips together in angst. "Is this why he brought us back to Termina?" she asked. "To get this?" Both fairies nodded simultaneously, but said nothing. "Why?" the princess pressed tensely.

"He said the seven sages told him that its power could defeat Veran forever," Navi explained. "But they also told him that if he used it, he'd be in danger of losing his soul to it."

Zelda's breath caught upon hearing this. She understood well the implications of this. She knew that very thing almost happened moments ago, that the mask had almost taken over him completely, but somehow he had clung onto a part of himself that allowed him to take it off. Her brows furrowing in worry, she gently removed the unconscious hero's head from her lap and stood to pace around, trying to clear her thoughts. If she were to lose him, especially at a time like this… she couldn't even bear the thought. But at the same time Zelda couldn't help but feel somewhat betrayed, knowing that he had lied to her at such a crucial time. She had always been able to trust him, but now… She turned to face way from him, taking in a deep breath. "How could he do this…?" she muttered to herself dejectedly.

"I told him not to!" Navi chimed in, sensing the princess' melancholy.

"Me too!" Tatl proclaimed. "But he didn't listen, even though he knew the dangers of using that mask!"

Zelda looked down in apprehension. "Why would he do something like this…?" she asked herself aloud. "What in the world was he thinking?"

"I was thinking that I'd do anything I had to just to keep you safe."

Slowly, Zelda turned around to watch Link weakly rise to his feet. She was tempted to run to him and embrace him, but her feelings of dread and betrayal stopped her. "Even at the cost of your own soul?" she asked him bitterly. "I'm hardly worth it…"

He shook his head and began to walk towards her. "You are," he said firmly. "Because I love-"

The princess put up her hands to stop him before he could finish. "I know," she sighed sorrowfully. "But I can't let you die saving me. Link… when you had that mask on, I was more terrified than I had ever been in my life. I thought you were gone. Please, promise me you'll never use that mask again."

Link looked away from her pleading gaze, knowing this was a promise he could not keep. The sages had been truthful when they said the power of the Fierce Deity's Mask could counter Veran's; after all, he had been able to significantly weak her with it. But he had indeed almost lost himself. Throughout the battle he had felt himself slipping further and further away from reality, succumbing to the mask's corruption. In fact, the only thing that had been able to bring him back was Zelda. If she hadn't come, then his soul most likely would have been lost but upon her gentle touch, he was reminded why he had put the mask on in the first place and it was because of her that he regained the control to take it off before he could hurt her. But even so, Veran was still out there, still thriving in her wickedness and still posing a serious threat to the princess' life. The Fierce Deity's Mask had shown him that the sorceress' defeat was possible and he knew well that he'd most likely be forced to call upon its corrupting power again to finish this once and for all.

"Zelda…" Link said quietly, taking her hands. "I can't…"

"Why?" she asked, her voice thick with grief.

He sighed morosely. "Because I'm not strong enough to do this on my own," he admitted. "I had been too weak to stop her from hurting you before. I won't let her hurt you again."

A stray tear fell down the princess' cheek as she stared into his eyes. In them, she saw turmoil, fear and anxiety. She knew that it must have been so hard for him, having to deal with the frightening fact that the destruction of his soul could very well happen if he dared to put that mask on again. But she also understood how hard it was for him to see her in pain, though it was equally as painful for her to see him so conflicted and troubled. And for once, she hated the fact that he was so devoted to her. "Are you afraid?" she whispered tensely, having jokingly asked him this question before but now fully meaning it.

The hero wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace, gently wiping her tears away for her as he whispered his honest response: "Terrified."

* * *

Since Veran's presence had faded from Termina, so too did the pall of darkness she had cast across the skies of the land. The foreboding blackness was banished when the first rays of the morning sun peaked over the hills and cast a soft, renewing glow over a land that had been heavily ravaged only hours ago. But even the return of the light, as hopeful as it was, could not restore all that had been lost the previous night.

As the bittersweet rays of dawn budded across Termina Field, Link and Zelda emerged from Clock Town's remains to watch the much needed sunrise, both of them silently wondering what to do next. Veran had inexplicably left them both alive and unharmed, but why? It was true that she had left Termina in a desolate state as a whole. Clock Town was completely destroyed, and in addition to that, the sorceress and the demon had cast many plights across the land such as poisoning the Southern Swamp, freezing the Snowhead region over, scattering monsters throughout the beaches of Great Bay, and raising the restless dead buried within Ikana Canyon. In fact, these disasters seemed to mirror the chaos that Majora had unleashed across the land seven years prior. But even so, Veran and Majora had both fled Termina, and had most likely returned to Hyrule with some hidden agenda. The fact that their greatest enemy had retreated should have comforted Link and Zelda but instead it only brought dread and uneasiness as to what her future treacherous plans could possibly be.

However, Veran's sudden disappearance was not what bothered Link the most. In fact, he was troubled over quite a few things. Firstly, the fact that he still carried the Fierce Deity's Mask with him. Though Zelda had heavily pleaded with him to leave it behind so he wouldn't use it again, he went against her wishes, knowing that the time would come when he would be forced to once more. But even so, he had barely come back from the brink of loosing himself last time; he was almost certain that he would not be so lucky again, even if the princess would be there. But it seemed as though that would create even more problems than Link initially thought it would. He had been only a few mere inches from harming Zelda under the influence of the mask. If he hadn't come out of its control when he did… something terrible could have happened. If he ended up hurting her with that mask, it would completely defeat the purpose of why he had decided to use it in the first place: to protect her. What if he lost control entirely and ended up seriously injuring her… or worse? He hadn't been lying when he told her he was afraid. But it was not falling under the mask's corruption that frightened him the most. Rather, it was the fact that her death, the very thing that he vowed he would give his life to prevent, could so easily be brought about by his own hands.

Not wanting to think about such dreadful things any longer, the hero glanced over at the princess, who stood at his side watching the sun peek over the horizon. Her face was awash with both anxiety and slight betrayal. Link didn't even have to think twice about where that betrayal came from. He had lied to her, left her alone in the midst of a catastrophe, and nearly killed her, all in one night. What had been blissful romance the previous day was now replaced with distrust and uncertainty. And, he knew that he had only himself to blame for it.

"Zelda," he said, taking in a deep breath. She said nothing as she turned to look at him, her expression still apprehensive and worried. "I'm sorry. I should have told you about the mask."

Zelda looked down remorsefully but did not give him an immediate response. Indeed, her heart was heavy too. Heavy for what had happened and for what was going to happen that she knew she couldn't change. "You're still going through with this, aren't you?" she asked several moments later.

Link nodded gravely. "I have to. For you and for Hyrule," he said, even though he wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do anymore. Indeed the mask could give him enough power to defeat Veran, but now it could possibly cost him Zelda's life as well as his own. It seemed like an impossible decision to make from all angles, one that he knew he'd have to make all too soon.

The princess was silent for a long time. Just trying to picture what life would be like without him was hard enough for her, but she knew that she would have to endure that reality in the near future. "What will I do without you?" she wondered aloud, her voice thick with heartbreak.

The hero closed his eyes in deep thought. "You'll be fine," he said with a small smile, trying to comfort her and give her some shred of hope in this dark hour. "When all this is over, Hyrule will be free again. You and the people can rebuild it. You can fix everything that Veran's destroyed. Everything will go back to normal. And I know you'll be the best ruler Hyrule's ever had."

Zelda shook her head as a stray tear escaped her. "Even if that was true," she said sadly. "I know that it wouldn't be worth anything if I couldn't share it with you…"

Link couldn't even come up with anything to say to this. He simply couldn't bear to see her so dejected and morose so he simply bridged the small distance between the two of them by wrapping his arms around her, taking in her gentle warmth. Upon seeing the small, comforted smile that had suddenly crossed her beautiful features, he wished with every part of his being that the situation was not as tragic as it truly was. He wanted nothing more than to share that peaceful future with her, even though they both knew it was an impossibility now. "Zelda…" he whispered longingly.

"Hm?" she responded quietly, content in his embrace.

"If none of this had ever happened, if things weren't the way they are now… would you marry me?"

Her smile widened at the question, even though she knew he was speaking hypothetically. "What did you tell me?" she asked, suddenly feeling strangely hopeful. "We can't think in 'ifs'… we have to think in 'wills'."

He couldn't help but return her blissful smile, even in the aftermath of all the turmoil of the previous night. Even after everything that had just happened, the princess was hopeful that both of them would live to see a future that only existed in dreams. And even though everything seemed to be against them, at the very least he could share that hope with her. That hope that things would be better one day. That they'd know things other than fear and heartbreak. That they'd always be together. And he knew that he had to try his hardest to make that dream, that hope, become a reality. "Fine," he said, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "When all this is over, _will_ you marry me?"

She smiled at him with so much joy that it seemed to illuminate her face with a golden glow of radiance. "Yes," she whispered before pulling him into another tender kiss. "I _will_."

* * *

Despite the comfort that they had brought to each other, Link and Zelda were both restless. Neither of them had a clue about where to go or what to do next. They knew that they would eventually have to return to Hyrule and put an end to Veran's tyranny, but they couldn't bring themselves to admit that. So for the next several hours, both of them simply wandered through the empty Termina Field in silence, hands intertwined as they tried to come up with some form of a plan but ultimately failing. However, as they were passing by the entrance to Milk Road, Zelda suddenly remembered something important from the previous night.

"Oh!" she exclaimed to Link. "I almost forgot! Last night, after the explosions, I was attacked by a group of Poes. Thankfully, Romani showed up and helped me fight them off, but she left when her sister cried out for her from the ranch. She sounded like she was in pain. We should go see if they're all right," she said, leading the way to Romani Ranch. The hero was a bit hesitant to follow her however. After all, he knew Romani was a dead ringer for Malon and that simply seeing the Terminian ranch girl would bring back bitter memories of the deceased Hylian farm girl. But he trailed after the princess nonetheless, hoping, like she was, that they were both ok.

Romani Ranch, like the rest of Termina, had not been spared from the previous night's destruction. As Romani had told Zelda, the barn had burned to the ground and its remains lay in a smoldering pile of ash. Luckily for the sisters, their small farmhouse still stood, but the ranch itself was eerily silent of the natural animal sounds that usually emanated from it.

Link and Zelda found the younger ranch sister standing amidst the remains of the barn with her back turned to them, simply trying to take in the fact that the structure no longer stood. "Romani!" the princess called out to her as the two of them approached her. Romani turned her head slightly before turning fully around. She was still clothed in the outfit she had worn the previous night, only now it was torn and covered with soot. On the way to the ranch, Zelda had told Link of how Romani's formerly long red hair had been butchered, but the hero could scarcely believe that she was still the same person upon seeing her. He was somewhat thankful however; now the only semblance she bore to Malon was in her facial features, but even they were dimmed by a shadow of grief and suffering.

"Hi Zelda," she said, mustering a small smile. "I see you found Grasshopper," she nodded to Link and gave him a small wink, though there wasn't her usual cheer behind it.

"Are you and Cremia alright?" Zelda asked with concern.

Romani looked down and sighed. "Well, yes and no…" she frowned. "You know how I said there are some people who lost a lot more than I did last night?" she said, running her finger absentmindedly against the ends of her short hair. The princess nodded in response and the ranch girl went on. "Well, Cremia's mostly ok… but… when I left last night to get help, she was trying to get the cows out of the burning barn. But before she could even get one of them out, a piece of burning wood fell down on her arm and burned her so badly that the doctor who came by a little while ago wasn't able to do anything to heal it. He… had to cut it off…" She let out a tearful, sharp sigh. "Thankfully we still had a little fermented Chateau Romani left, so she's resting in the house so she won't feel the pain, but… It's hard, you know? Pretty much all of our cows and cuccos died in the fire last night, Cremia probably won't be able to work ever again, Clock Town is gone so we have no one to sell to… Our entire livelihood has been wiped out in a single night."

"Oh Romani…" Zelda said, her voice full of pity for the poor ranch girl. "I'm so sorry…"

Romani nodded gravely, clearly trying to hold back tears. "And that's not even the worst part," she said, glancing towards the ranch's exit. "From what I've heard, so many people lost their lives in the explosions last night that they still don't have a body count. A bunch of people Cremia and me know well are dead, including Mayor Kafei and Miss Anju, not to mention their poor innocent little baby…" She closed her eyes and clenched her fists at her sides, in clear anger and grief. "All I wanna know is who's responsible for all of this! Who could cause so much destruction and death in such a short amount of time?! Who _would_ do this?!"

As the ranch girl was fuming over the great tragedy that had befallen Termina, Link and Zelda exchanged a silent, saddened glance. They knew well who was the cause of all this mayhem, but at the very least she wasn't showering her wrath upon the land any more. "Romani," the hero said consolingly. "Is there anything we can do?"

She gave him a small smile and shook her head. "No, not really, but thanks anyway Grasshopper," she said, taking in a deep breath. "I'll be fine… we'll all be fine… Us Terminians… we don't give up that easily. We'll grieve for a bit, honor the dead for while, but then we'll go right back and rebuild. We'll start everything anew once again. And in time, maybe we'll heal… Who knows? After all, nobody really knows what the future will bring for sure."

Link and Zelda both returned Romani's subdued smile, finding truth and comfort in her words. Even though Termina had been heavily razed by Veran, it was not past the point of recovery. There was still hope to be found there, and, perhaps there was still hope for Hyrule as well. After all, the sorceress of shadows hadn't destroyed it yet. There was a chance, however small, that it could carry on into the future and see prosperity and peace again someday. But it would never see that future if Veran was not stopped and as the princess and the hero looked to each other once again, they both knew what they had to do.

* * *

After bidding farewell to Romani, the couple left the ranch and unceremoniously headed for Clock Town once more. As Link and Zelda entered the desolate town, the two fairies that had been traveling with them lingered behind in conversation. On the way back from the ranch, Tatl had said that she would not be accompanying Link, Zelda and Navi back to Hyrule in favor of making sure that her brother and Skull Kid were alright after the events of the previous night. The yellow fairy was certainly sad to part ways with them and so, she had decided to follow the trio back to Clock Town before heading off on her own way.

"So you're really not coming back with us?" Navi asked her as they trailed behind the princess and the hero.

"No," Tatl sighed somewhat remorsefully. "But I gotta make sure my brother Tael wasn't hurt last night."

"Oh," the Hylian fairy said somewhat dejectedly. Though the two of them had been rivals when they first met, vying incessantly for Link's attention and favor, they had grown to be not only tolerant of each other, but they had also formed something of a friendship. After all, they were united by a common goal: following the hero and giving him their constant, unyielding support. "Well… I guess I'm sorry for how I acted when we first met…"

"Yeah," the Terminian fairy said with a slight smile. "Me too."

Both fairies stopped short after Link and Zelda entered Clock Town's walls. Tatl was admittedly too forlorn to say a proper goodbye to the hero himself, so she had asked Navi to pass on the message for her.

"Well I guess this is goodbye," Tatl said to the blue fairy as they flittered outside of the town's gates.

Navi nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Take care of him, for both of us, please?"

"I always have," Navi said sincerely. "And this time, I always will."

"Thanks," Tatl grinned gratefully as she prepared to fly off. "Oh, and Navi?"

"Yes Tatl?"

"Don't let him do anything stupid."

Navi let out a small giggle. "I'll try."

With one final nod of gratitude and farewell, the two guardian fairies parted ways. One flew away from the hero, though her thoughts and worries were completely focused on him, while the other flew to him, and with just as much worry on her mind as she gently landed on his shoulder with a small sigh. Link noticed Navi's melancholy and gave her a small, reassuring smile, but it wasn't much help. For his guardian fairy, who had been his companion since his childhood and had traveled through time with him, simply knowing there was nothing she, or anyone else, could do to save him in the end was shameful to her. She knew that he was going to die, to fully fall under that frightful mask's complete control, sometime in the very near future and there was nothing that could be done about it. But even so, Navi had vowed to stand by his side until the very end, and so, even though she dreaded losing him, she was going to loyally carry out her duty to him, no matter what.

In many ways, Zelda's thoughts mirrored those of the guardian fairy. She knew she only had a short time left with Link, as much as she didn't want to admit it. She tried her best to be hopeful about the situation, and had already sent more than a few silent prayers to the goddesses for their intercession, though she was beginning to doubt if they could even hear her. Her mind wouldn't let her see a moment's rest over the matter; in fact, she had probably never been so anxious in her life. She couldn't even fathom what her life would be like without him in it. How would she be able to face another day without him, the only person left in the world that she was absolutely certain she loved?

As the three of them entered south Clock Town, where the Clock Tower had once stood, they suddenly felt compelled to stop and look around their surroundings once more before leaving the ravaged land. All around them lay the fruits of the previous night's senseless destruction. Death and carnage were everywhere, and the hero and the princess couldn't help but feel guilty for it. Though it had been Veran's hand that had wrought all this suffering, she would have never descended upon Termina if they hadn't gone there in the first place. The sorceress had followed them there and had laid waste to Clock Town simply to lure them into a trap. They both knew, unlike the innocents of Termina, that they were to blame for all of this. And as much as they wanted to stay behind and help the suffering people recover from the attack, they knew that they had to return to Hyrule and prevent the same thing from happening there. And, as Romani had said, there was still hope left for the people of Termina. They would carry on to see another day. But Link and Zelda weren't so sure if Hyrule would be as lucky if salvation didn't arrive for it soon. That was their destiny to uphold and as much as they dreaded and feared its consequences on their own lives, they knew that they had to fulfill it for the sake of the greater good.

After clearing away the rubble that blocked the entrance to the basement of the Clock Tower, the group started on their way back to Hyrule. In lasting silence, they cleared the path back to the Lost Woods and they remained silent as they rode Epona through them at a leisurely pace. All three of them had far too much on their minds to talk.

Upon breaking out of the forest and into Hyrule Field, Link brought Epona to a complete stop as he and Zelda stared at the expanse before them in disbelief. The dark clouds that had been reining the skies of the land were as relentless as ever, only now they took on a menacing shade of dark crimson. The lush green fields of Hyrule that they had seen only days ago were now brown and dead, monsters lurking throughout them sporadically. Streams of smoke rose up from several places including Kakariko Village, Zora's Domain, Lake Hylia, Gerudo Valley, and Lon Lon Ranch. But by far the most ominous anomaly was the large, swirling vortex that hovered over the remains of Castle Town which was clearly visible even miles away.

"Veran's there," Link hissed, glaring at the evil vortex. "She must be. She's trying to lure us there."

Zelda frowned worriedly as she surveyed the damage that the sorceress had done to her once beautiful kingdom. "We were too late…" she said morosely. "We were too late to stop her before she could do all this. Now Hyrule is no better off than Termina."

The hero glanced back at her and gave her a small smile of encouragement. "But it can be rebuilt, like Romani said. We just have to stop her first," he said as he prepared to push Epona onward.

"Link, wait…" Zelda stopped him before they could even move away from the entrance to the forest. She bit her lip in anxiety and pleading as he turned to look back at her. "These may be some of our final hours together… And if they are, then I want them to last. Do you think Veran could wait until… tomorrow?"

"Zelda," he smiled, knowing that he owed this to her for putting her through so much in such a short amount of time. "I'd love nothing more than that."

The two of them found refuge for the night in a small cave within the southern fields. They retreated towards the back end of the shelter, away from the darkness and monsters corrupting the world outside. They lit a small fire to keep them warm as Navi sat outside of the enclosure to keep watch and give the couple some privacy.

For the next several hours, they sat near the fire in each other's embrace, simply enjoying every fading moment of peace that they had left. They left behind the knowledge of what was happening and instead returned to the youthful, happy days of their childhood spent together, recounting tales and exchanging fond laughs of moments that were long gone. But even more than that, they exchanged secrets, which, while simple, they had never dared to share with anyone else.

"When we were little," Zelda said with a contented smile on her face. "I used to always imagine that we would get married one day. In fact one day during one of my lessons, I wrote our names inside of a heart all over my book on Hylian diplomacy. My instructor found it and confiscated it, then scolded me about not paying attention to his lecture," both of them let out amused laughs at the tale before the hero told one of his own.

"When I first met you," Link said. "I thought you were the prettiest girl I had ever seen. After we left your courtyard to go look for the Spiritual Stones, I asked Navi if there were other girls who looked like you. After she said you were the only one, I couldn't wait to go back and see you again, just to look at you. Not to mention to hear that amazing voice of yours."

The princess blushed at the sincere compliments. "My voice isn't that great…" she said bashfully. "You know I don't like singing in front of people."

"I've heard you sing before and it's beautiful. I wish you did it more often."

Zelda closed her eyes and smiled softly. "I can sing now, if you want me to."

"Yes," the hero said as she curled up closer to him. "Please."

The princess began to softly sing her wordless lullaby and he closed his eyes to listen to her melodious voice, soaking in every crisp, flowing note as it echoed throughout the cave walls. "Zelda?" he asked quietly as her song came to a close.

"Yes?"

"What do you think it would be like if were actually could get married?"

She thought for a moment before responding. "Well," she said wistfully, summoning her youthful imagination to speak for her. "We'd have a big, beautiful wedding. Outside of course. I'd wear a long, flowing white dress and you would look unbelievingly handsome. Then, we'd have our wedding night and…" she sighed dreamily. "Then we'd live happily ever after… The princess and her hero… just like in the fairy tales…"

"What about the nobles?" he asked flirtatiously. "I thought you said they didn't like me."

Zelda snickered. "Since when do I care what they think? You're already my fiancée; they wouldn't be able to do much to stop us… Besides, you're definitely what's best for the kingdom… and for me…"

The hero smiled at her warmly, drawing her face close to his. "And I know, without a doubt, that you've always been what's best for me," he said quietly before their lips touched. And as they kissed once more, for perhaps one of the last times, they clung onto each other in passionate love, hoping that it would never end but knowing that it had to. But even so, they lived in the moment, and in that moment, they pushed everything else out but each other, imagining that world where they could live in a fairy tale. That world, where they would never be apart.

* * *

_It wasn't often and Link and Zelda's journeys found them in Castle Town, since the castle guards lingered throughout the area, but one warm summer evening they decided to stroll the lantern lit streets in the early hours of twilight. Of course, the princess wore a simple cloak to conceal her identity so she wouldn't get caught, but even so, the two of them were having a wonderful time taking in the inviting feeling of the city's square. _

_On that certain evening, a band of traveling instrumentalists was entertaining in the square, filling the area with festive music. Link and Zelda stood by to listen and watch as couples casually danced to its upbeat rhythm._

"_Zelda," the hero said, giving the princess a lighthearted nudge. "You should sing along."_

_She laughed a bit awkwardly as her cheeks began to redden. "No," she said with a slight grin. "I couldn't possibly…"_

"_Come on," he encouraged. "You have a great voice!"_

_Zelda thought about it for a moment and decided to take her chance and live in the moment, hoping that she wouldn't embarrass herself too much. "Alright, fine," she said pointedly, coming up with a clever plan in her head. "But only if you'll dance with me after."_

"_Um…" Link stammered at the sudden request. "I… I don't really know how…"_

_Zelda smiled jokingly at him. "Well look who's uncomfortable now!" she teased. "You wanted me to sing, so it's only fair that you dance with me! Dancing is easy… that is, unless you have two left feet…"_

_The hero gave her a defiant smile. "Just because I'm left-handed, doesn't mean I have two left feet," he said, ready for her challenge. "It's a deal. I dance with you only if you sing first."_

_The princess crossed her arms and gave him a sly wink. "Alright then," she said confidently. "Challenge accepted."_

* * *

**Ok, so this chapter was more a romance, transition chapter than anything else so sorry about the lack of actual things happening here compared to the last chapter. But if you're into the romance, then you most likely loved this :) Plus, it was so much fun to write ^_^! So the next few chapters are gonna be our big huge build up to the big huge climax and I can't wait for them! Especially the final few! I can't believe I'm getting so close to being done with this story! Thanks so much to everyone who has been supporting it by following, favoriting and reviewing! You guys are what inspires me to work on this! So, please leave a REVIEW! If you do, then I'll give you all my undying love and affection... ;) hahaha jk jk! Until next time!**


	31. Loyalty and Honor

_Chapter 30_

Despite the relative calm that Link and Zelda had fallen asleep to the previous night, the first thing they were greeted to the following morning was Navi's shrill warning cries. They both woke with a start, but they were initially too muddled and drowsy to completely comprehend what she was desperately shouting at them. Link was the first to tiredly stumble to his feet, trying to find whatever was assailing them, but the moment he opened his eyes, something hard struck him on the back of his head, sending him to the ground once more. When Zelda heard the sudden rough clatter, her eyes flew open and she let out a small gasp of shock when she saw that there were at least three other figures now in the cavern with them, though neither one of them could make out their appearance due to the darkness of the cave. The intruders apparently hadn't noticed her presence yet, which was lucky since she was frozen with fear as she helplessly watched their attackers dragged the semi-conscious hero out of the cave roughly. Taking in a sharp breath, she scolded herself for just sitting by and letting this happen as she scrambled to her feet to rush after them and try to put a stop to this.

As Link gathered his bearings once more, his first instinct was to struggle against the firm hold of whoever had subdued him. It didn't take too much effort to break free from their grasp on the collar of his tunic. However, the moment he slipped out of their hold, the other two mystery figures strongly secured both of his arms and continued to drag him along before the hero could even attempt to see if Zelda was alright. He growled in angry protest at them as he continued to struggle, but whoever these shadow-shrouded beings were, they paid him no mind.

As the invaders breached the entrance of the cave with Link in tow, they threw him roughly onto the ground outside, much to their grave mistake. The hero wasted no time reclaiming his footing and drawing the Master Sword in less than a split second as he spun around to face his opponents boldly. At the same time, Zelda reached the entrance to the cave as well and was finally able to see their attackers in full light. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw the group of about fifteen Hylian soldiers, their weapons brandished in preparation of an oncoming attack.

By now, Link had discerned the identity of the attackers as soldiers as well and inconspicuously glanced over at Zelda, who had still not been seen by the guards. For a tense moment no one moved, as both the hero and the princess silently wondered whether or not the soldiers came in peace or indented to harm them. Zelda supposed that the latter option was the case, considering Veran had turned her own people against her, so it would only make sense that they would be on the hunt for their former princess. But even so, she had to at least try to appeal to them, so that her and Link would have _someone _on their side in these dire straits. She could only hope that such an appeal wouldn't cost them dearly.

Summoning up her nerve and courage, Zelda stepped forward out of the mouth of the cave and drew the soldiers' attention away from Link and to her instead. "Wait!" she called to them before the two opposing sides could even square off. The entirety of the squad of men turned to look at the princess as she closed her eyes and held her breath anxiously, anticipating the worst. Likewise, Link gripped his sword even tighter and watched the soldiers' moves carefully, ready to defend against them for the sake of Zelda's safety.

But it never came. Instead of shouting out in anger at their monarch, the soldiers instead whispered her name amongst themselves in realization. And, much to the amazement of both the princess and the hero, they all slowly bowed to their knees before Zelda and lowered their heads in respect for her. She tentatively opened her eyes and stared down at their entire company in disbelief, having no idea why they weren't under Veran's spell like the rest of her people.

"Your highness," one of the soldiers addressed her reverently, removing his metal helmet. The man was in his late twenties, with light brown hair, matching, evenly groomed facial hair and forest green eyes filled with both experience and honesty. "We are deeply sorry for mistakenly attacking you, be we are all pleased to see that you are safe."

Zelda caught herself smiling down graciously as she recognized the leader of the squad. "And I am pleased to see that you and your men are still allied with me, Commander Finn," she said kindly, giving the soldiers permission to stand. Young yet accomplished, Commander Cyrus Finn was among the few officers in her army that the princess trusted completely and she was certainly glad that he and his elite squad now stood before her. "If I may ask," she continued. "Why have you not turned against me like the rest of the people?"

Finn's expression darkened as she asked this. "Princess," he said, answering her question with one of his own. "If _I _may ask, is that 'sorceress of shadows' woman, Veran the cause of all of this mess?"

"How do you know about her?" she frowned inquisitively. Until this point, the princess had no idea that the people themselves knew anything about Veran, or what was truly going on in Hyrule, but now it seemed as though this was all common knowledge.

"Everyone knows about her," the commander said gravely. "She came out of nowhere only yesterday and started causing trouble all across Hyrule. We now know she's the one who destroyed the Castle and Castle Town awhile ago, but only yesterday she laid waste to Kakariko Village and set fire to several other parts of Hyrule as well. We were there when she destroyed Kakariko and we got as many civilians out as we could… but we couldn't save everyone."

Zelda took in a deep breath and glanced over at Link in grief, silently sharing the sentiment with him that more innocents had to die because of Veran's wrath which should have been focused on them instead. But even so, the princess needed to know more about the status of her kingdom after such a devastating attack.

"How do the survivors fare?" she asked the commander, knowing that they would among the few remaining Hylians left alive in the kingdom after Veran's destruction of Castle Town and Kakariko.

"Those who made it out were escorted to this end of Hyrule Field," Finn said. "There are fewer monsters back here near the forest, compared to the rest of the kingdom, where they're running rampant. I hate to say this princess, but up until yesterday's attack, most of the people blamed all of Hyrule's recent troubles on you. That is, until we saw the true instigator with our own eyes. We sincerely apologize on behalf of all the people of Hyrule for our misjudgment and distrust in you, your highness. But now, we stand ready to fight with you for our beloved kingdom."

The princess looked across the eager crowd of not even twenty foot soldiers, knowing that they represented her kingdom as a whole and she smiled, realizing that her people were no longer turned against her. The loyalty of this one lone group of soldiers helped to restore her hope and trust in those that she had vowed to govern and protect. But at the same time, she knew that she couldn't let them go into battle for her. Veran was a threat that they could not hope to stand against so long as she commanded the Triforce.

"Will you all excuse me for a moment?" Zelda asked politely. The soldiers all nodded compliantly as she looked over at Link and motioned for him to follow her back into the cave so they could have a private conversation. Commander Finn silently nodded in apologetic recognition to the hero as he passed by, knowing him to be a trusted and long time friend of the princess.

Once Link and Zelda were out of the soldiers' earshot, the hero immediately questioned the princess' motives. "What's wrong?" he asked as Zelda turned to look away from the mouth of the cave.

She shook her head in remorse. "I won't have them loose their lives for me," she said firmly. "It's bad enough that you feel as though you have to. But they don't even know most of what's really going on here and they wouldn't understand even if we tried to explain it all."

"But Zelda," he protested. "If what they said about the monsters near the castle is true, then we could use all the help we can get just getting in there. It's the only way to get to Veran."

"Then it's our struggle, not theirs," she proclaimed. "She's killed so many of my people already. I won't lead them into a fight that they aren't able to win. I don't care if they do support me again. I will not watch them suffer anymore."

"But if we don't make it there to stop Veran, then they'll lose anyway," Link said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "This could work. We could get the rest of the army to fight and we can gather the other races like the Gorons and the Zoras to join in too. Even if they can't fight Veran with us, they can at least get us there."

"You mean go to war?" Zelda asked nervously. "We're not ready for that. What makes you think they'll even fight such a dangerous battle at all?"

"They'll fight because they've all lost something to her, just like us," Link said. "They want to prove to you and to her that they're not as weak and pathetic as she thinks they are."He understood well the position of the soldiers. Veran had slandered the very name of Hyrule and its royal family, things that he had done everything in his power to protect in the past and had vowed to do anything to save in the present. The soldiers apparently shared this view point, showing that they were not afraid of Veran despite the disaster she had spread across the kingdom. They had all been oppressed by the sorceress for too long now and they were all at the point where enough was enough.

Zelda sighed, knowing he was absolutely right. Her people were proud; one only needed to look upon the glistening towers of Hyrule Castle and its outlying town to see that. They were not content with being pushed around by the sorceress of shadows any longer. It was only expected that they wanted to rise up and fight against her. And as much as she dreaded the bloodshed that she knew would result from such a battle, the princess knew that it was her duty to her people to lead them valiantly into this war and restore their lost honor. And so she simply nodded in solemn agreement as her and Link left the cave to face the troops once more.

The men stood at attention the moment the princess prepared to address them. She took in a deep breath as she tried to gather her thoughts on what she wanted to say to them. She knew that war was an extensive affair that required careful planning if one ever wanted to achieve success in it. Though she had never lead troops into battle before, she had a proficient knowledge in strategizing and, thanks to her many outings with Link, she knew the lay of the land of Hyrule with sure accuracy. These were about the only strengths that she considered herself to have, but as far as the actual fighting aspect of battle went, she was certainly glad that she had the hero and the group of soldiers on her side. She tentatively glanced over Link before beginning and his gentle smile and nod of encouragement was all she needed to start her speech.

"Before we begin," Zelda started strong, having given many speeches in the past as part of her royal duties. "I must thank all of you for your loyal dedication to Hyrule and its freedom. I can promise you that when this battle is over, your courage and sacrifice will not go unrewarded."

Commander Finn smiled graciously, as did several of the other men. "Princess," he said. "We seek no reward. All we want is to return Hyrule to its former glory."

Zelda smiled, trusting their sincerity. "As do I. I am proud to have such valiant soldiers among my ranks. Now, commander?"

Finn stepped forward as the princess continued. "How many soldiers have survived and are able to fight?"

"About one thousand," the commander reported after a brief moment of thought. "The rest were killed either in the fires of Castle Town or Kakariko."

Zelda frowned, knowing that the army had suffered great losses for there to only be one thousand men left. "Well…" she said, trying to appear reserved for her soldiers and for herself. "Then we will certainly require the aid of the other races as well. What are their statuses?"

"The Gorons fled Death Mountain immediately after the attack on Kakariko Village," Finn said. "They have taken up refuge in the nearby hills to the south. The Zoras have largely secluded themselves in their domain, but from what we've heard they wish to mobilize their forces through the waterways to protect their home. The Gerudo have already gathered their troops together and are on their way to this part of Hyrule Field as we speak, to aid in any way they can."

"Good," Zelda said, her confidence rising in the fact that they may be able to take on a field full of monsters after all. "Our combined strength and numbers will certainly help. Have some of your men go to the Gorons and the Zoras, as well as the remaining Hylian troops and any volunteers you may find, so we can all gather and prepare for war here."

Without hesitation the commander nodded and went to work, sending envoys to the other races, bearing messages from the princess herself. As Zelda watched the soldiers tend to their tasks, Link came to stand by her side, wrapping an arm around her waist. Their eyes met, but their expressions remained detached and impersonal. The hero knew that the princess must have been harboring a great amount of dread, both for her people and for the future of her kingdom, but at the same time she had to put on a firm and steadfast face for her soldiers so she would not appear as weak to them. She was afraid, but she dared not let her fear show behind her stone-cold manner, lest it spread to her troops and they back down from the impending fight.

Once the envoys had left to fulfill their duties, the princess began strategizing with those who remained. According to Commander Finn, aside from the swirling vortex hovering over Castle Town, an unseeable, unbreakable force field barricaded entrance to anything beyond the outlying boarders of Kakariko Village. Link and Zelda both silently supposed that Veran had set it up so no one would interfere with the trap that she so clearly had set up for the two of them. Everything between the southern field and the barricade was basically covered with strange, shadowy creatures, unlike anything the soldiers had ever encountered before. For the next several hours, Zelda, along with Link, Finn and the other soldiers meticulously planned out what attack formations and courses of action they were going to take in the upcoming battle. They discussed what forces would go where, taking into account numbers and attack methods as well as they geography of Hyrule itself. By the time the envoys returned with the other troops in tow, they had come up with a battle plan that would at the very least clear a path through from their current position to the fallen Castle Town, many miles to the north.

The Gerudo were the first to arrive, having already been on their way there in the first place. They rode in proudly on their black Gerudo stallions, Nabooru leading the pack of about fifty or so. What the Gerudo lacked in number, they made up for in fighting skill and weaponry. The proud tribe of female warriors was already brandishing their scimitars in preparation for war as they raced onto the gathering grounds, ready for a fight.

Not too long after them, the Gorons and the Zoras arrived simultaneously, both tribes bearing their respective banners proudly. The Gorons, led by their patriarch Darunia, stormed in thunderously from the southern hills that they had been taking shelter in, already shouting their booming war cries. With both their numbers and their formidable strength considered, they would certainly be an asset in the oncoming conflict. The Zoras would also be invaluable allies in the war, as they knew the waterways of Hyrule and were skilled in the usage of several types of weapons. With their young and prideful princess, Ruto at the head of their troops, the aquatic race marched into view from Hyrule's eastern side, where their reclusive domain lied.

Following behind the Gorons and the Zoras, the rest of the Hylian troops and many volunteers came as well. Their respective leaders briefed them on the attack plans and made the proper preparations for the battle. Link and Zelda watched the bustle of the makeshift camp from the entrance of their cave, both of them mentally preparing for the soon coming fray. Neither of them knew what to expect, considering Veran was a very unpredictable foe. Who could really tell what kind of monsters she had waiting for them on the other side of the nearby hills?

"Do you think they're ready?" Link asked Zelda after several moments of silence.

The princess shook her head slowly as she watched her people ready themselves for a battle that she absolutely dreaded. "No," she said quietly. "But I have to trust that they will be when they have to be."

Several more moments of silence followed before the hero posed another question. "Are you ready?"

Zelda sighed and looked up into the dark red skies contemplatively. "I'll never be ready for this," she said. "Any of this. I'm not ready to lead my people into certain death. I'm not ready to face Veran. And I'm definitely not ready to watch you die for my sake…"

Link simply looked down, unable to find anything to say to the princess' heart breaking statement. Like her, he was in no way ready for whatever was about to happen, but whatever the future did hold, they would both have to take it in stride and sacrifice what they had to for the sake of what they most held dear.

"Link?" Zelda asked after a few more moments of silence.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever wondered why any of this happened in the first place? Or why the goddesses would allow someone like Veran to cause so much destruction? Or why we're the only ones who can stop this?"

Link glanced over at her, seeing the clear despondency in her eyes. These questions had no answers that he was able to give because he had asked them himself. So, he simply averted her gaze and shook his head silently in response.

"It just all seems so hopeless…" the princess mused miserably. "No matter how hard we fight, no matter how this ends… something is going to be lost. So why should we even try…?"

The hero took in a deep breath, fully prepared to give her a definite answer. "Zelda…" he began, but he was quickly cut off by Commander Finn and another soldier as they quickly approached the princess, calling out her name.

"Your highness," Finn said. "I came to tell you that preparations are nearly complete. But before we start, I thought that you would want to see this." The commander took a large, ornate wooden box out of the hands of the soldier behind him and handed it to Zelda. "We have all heard of the great Impa's passing and we are deeply sorry for such a grave loss. We attempted to save everything we could from her house when Veran attacked Kakariko Village, knowing that she kept copies of many important royal documents that had been destroyed along with the castle. We weren't able to salvage much, but we did find this box before her house went up in flames. There is a note inside addressed to you, princess."

Staring at the box in disbelief, Zelda gently took it and bit her lip, wondering what else could be inside of it aside from a simple note. "Thank you…" she whispered to the commander, holding back so many emotions. The two soldiers saluted and returned to their posts, leaving Link and Zelda alone once more.

With careful hands, the princess slowly opened the wooden box, her curiosity and angst overwhelming her. Much to her confusion, the box was apparently much more shallow than it seemed to be and the only item it held was a piece of fairly new parchment with her name written on the outside in Impa's handwriting. Placing the box on the ground, Zelda took the paper and opened it up, silently reading Impa's final letter to her:

_Dear Princess Zelda,_

_I trust that this letter will reach you safely. As I'm writing this, I know that my end is near and that I will soon be unable to protect you as I always have. In our parting moments, I doubt we will have much time to say a proper goodbye and so here it is._

_Princess, from the day you were born, I swore that it would be my duty to protect you and guide you as you learned to lead Hyrule as your ancestors have. When your mother died, I made a promise to her and to you that I would take her place and take care of you as if you where my own. I watched you grow in beauty, kindness and wisdom. I saw you take your first steps, guided you along as you became a true princess, counseled you when you needed it most, listened you your fears and complaints and watched as you fell in love. I am proud of the woman you have become and I wish with all my heart that I could see the queen that you will be. And, I know without a doubt that you will lead Hyrule better that your father had, better than his father had and better than those who came before him had. You will follow after the fair leadership of your ancient ancestor, the one who founded this kingdom, the goddess Hylia. _

_Long have my people passed down the legend of the goddess and her hero. We safeguarded the ancient tales of how they conquered the Dark Interlopers in a bloody and violent battle. Zelda, do not think that your ancestors were any stronger or more capable than you and Link are. For much like you, they were both young and they both fell victim to many of the same vices that you have. But they, too, loved each other very much and it was through that love, love for each other and love for the land that they had built together, that they carried on, fighting even when all seemed lost. The goddesses guided them as they guide you now. And so I hope that my final gift to you arrives as I expected it to. In truth, I had wanted to give you it when you were crowned queen, but I fear that there is not much time left. You will find it hidden in the bottom of this chest. May both of you wear the relics of your ancestors with pride. _

_Princess, I pray that you will find success in this battle against darkness itself. Both of you are so young, and yet you were thrust into a fight that should have never been yours in the first place. Though your destiny may seem ultimately cruel, you must believe that there is a future beyond that. A future where peace reigns and evil had faded from the world. And, when all hope seems dead and everything has come crashing down around you, remember what I used to tell you long ago: as long as there is light to banish darkness, it can never extinguish hope. _

_Your faithful servant,_

_Impa_

A few stray warm tears fell down Zelda's cheeks as she read Impa's final goodbye. She should have figured that her fallen guardian would have the foresight to know when her death would happen and so she had written this letter in advance in hopes that the princess would find it. But even so, she found herself smiling softly as she read the note. She could almost hear Impa's calm voice speaking the hopeful words to her herself. And, at a time like this, when her hope was running low and everything seemed to be against her, the Sheikah's kind encouragement was exactly what she needed most.

Handing the note to Link for him to look over it, Zelda picked the box up and examined it once more, finding that its shallow bottom was a false one; underneath the thin piece of wood were the gifts that Impa left behind for them. The first gift the princess knew was intended for her as a small slip of paper addressed to her was attached to it, bearing another short note from Impa:

_Princess, _

_It has long been the duty of the Sheikah to protect the royal family of Hyrule from the shadows. As part of this duty, we have passed down this ancient crown, which was said to be crafted for Hylia by the golden goddesses themselves. Only those who bear the blood of the goddess are fit to wear this sacred crown, those who have been destined to rule this kingdom since its birth. Take this crown now, Zelda. It is your birthright, as is the kingdom of Hyrule in its entirety. I know that you will bring honor to the sacred heritage that you are part of. _

_-Impa_

Mulling over what the note said, Zelda examined Impa's gift: a beautiful golden tiara befitting a queen. It was by far more elegant and exquisite than her normal royal tiara; its central feature was a gold pendant with the design of the Triforce cut into it, each piece of the golden relic represented by a different gemstone: the Triforce of Power was a shimmering scarlet ruby, the Triforce of Wisdom was a deep azure sapphire, and the Triforce of Courage was a bright verdant emerald. Simply holding such a beautiful, holy trinket in her hands made Zelda feel unworthy of the title that came along with it. After everything that had happened, she didn't exactly feel pure enough to be Hyrule's princess any more. After all, she had let Veran possess her, she succumbed to the temptation of alcohol and she was about to lead thousands of people into a bloody, unwinnable battle. But Impa had believed in her and had confirmed that she truly did have the blood of the goddess flowing through her. And even if she did not feel worthy to wear the crown of her ancestor, she tentatively placed it atop her head anyway, knowing that it was her duty to uphold the honor of her ancestors.

The second and final item in the box was meant for Link, as indicated by the note addressed to him peeking out of the folds of the red cloth that covered the bottom of the chest. Zelda took the flowing fabric out of the box and unfurled, handing it to the hero so he could see it. To go with this cloak, there were two ornate yet sturdy pieces of golden shoulder armor, which seemed to go perfectly with the red fabric. The princess took them out of the box as well and handed them to Link, who stared at them in curiosity for a moment before silently reading Impa's attached note to him:

_Link,_

_There is a legend held onto by the Sheikah tribe that comes from the ancient days of the land, before Hyrule was even thought of. It speaks of the goddess Hylia, before she chose to be reincarnated as a mortal. In those days, she chose a hero, the first hero that the land had ever known, to ward off the evil of the demon king that was ravening the land. The hero aided Hylia in sealing the demon king away, but he was fatally wounded and died shortly after the battle. The goddess mourned the loss of her beloved hero greatly, and so she promised that she would be reborn as a mortal beside the reincarnation of her hero's spirit. This cloak belonged to the ancient hero and it was also worn by his successor, the hero who fought alongside Hylia's human incarnation. It is said that this mantle has found its way to every courageous youth who has ever carried the spirit of the hero. And so I pass it onto you along with a simple request. I know that you have always cared deeply for Princess Zelda. Your love for her mirrors the love that the goddess and her hero were said to have for one another. I do not doubt that you can and will do everything in your power to ensure her safety. And so, for once I am asking you to make a promise that you absolutely must keep at all costs: if you are unable to do anything else, then protect the princess in any way that you can. Do what you must to save her, but in doing so, do not abandon her for the sake of this task. To leave her alone would be the same as killing her yourself. Stay by her side and protect her in my stead. I am confident that you will not fail her._

_-Impa_

Link took in a deep breath as he finished reading the letter, casting a quick glance at Zelda, who was watching her army gather for the princess' morale speech that she would have to give soon. The hero understood well the request that Impa was asking of him, after all he had promised the very same thing to both himself and the princess, but at the same time he found it contradictory. The Sheikah guardian had told him to do what must be done to protect the princess, but she couldn't have known that the only thing he could do would ultimately leave Zelda alone in the end either way. And as much as he hated the fact that he would ultimately end up leaving her with no one to turn to, he knew that such a sacrifice would be worth it to ensure that her life went on. She would be able to make it without him but he knew that he would be unable to live with himself if he let anything else happen to her.

Zelda watched in silence as Link put the mantle of the ancient hero on, shoulder armor and all. The long, flowing red cape accentuated his green tunic perfectly and the golden shoulder pads seemed to make his eyes take on an even more valiant shade of blue. The princess couldn't help but stare at him in slight awe; he had never looked so heroic or so handsome to her before. Her heart fluttered with emotions and she was tempted to fall into his arms and kiss him right then and there, but she knew that to do so in front of the entirety of her army would be extremely inappropriate behavior.

So instead, she turned to face the crowd of about two thousand soldiers that stood before her. She looked over the makeshift army as their leaders were quieting them, knowing that the princess was about to speak. Every major race of Hyrule was represented here: Hylians, Gorons, Zoras, Gerudos all stood side by side, intermingled with one another in the common cause of restoring their homeland to its former glory. She pursued her lips tentatively as she formed the exact words that she needed to say to them in her mind. And as soon as they were all giving her their rapt attention, Zelda closed her eyes in a brief prayer to the goddesses before addressing her army.

"People of Hyrule," she greeted them loudly, trying to make her voice clearly heard throughout the throng of soldiers. "Today, as we stand here, our kingdom has fallen. This land has succumbed to the might of Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, who has stolen our holy relic, the Triforce, and has used it to bring destruction upon our homes and villages. But even though she has destroyed our land, which was once so rich with natural beauty gifted to us by the goddesses, she has not crushed who _we _are. The land may be razed, but its people remain and stand ready to reclaim what we have lost.

"Each of us has a different reason why we stand here, ready to fight today. For some, it is a child we have lost or a sibling that has been slaughtered. For some, it is because your homes have been destroyed or you have a lover that you will never see again. No matter what the reason, Veran has dishonored each and every one of us. There are so many things she has taken from us. There are so many things she wishes to take from us," Zelda said slowly as she looked over at Link, who was listening intently and immediately caught onto what she was implying. "And those are the very things that we _cannot _let her take from us!

"My people," the princess continued after the crowd cheered in support of her bold statement. "As I stand before you today, I do not deserve your trust. I will admit that I abandoned you in your darkest hour and you had every right to turn against me. It is only by your good grace and loyalty that you stand before me now, ready to take up arms beside me and fight for this land. But do not fight for me. Fight for your honor. Fight for your families. Fight for your home. Fight for Hyrule!" The army cheered and applauded in booming enthusiasm, eating up every encouraging word that she was delivering to them. Zelda and Link exchanged another glance in that moment, and they both smiled at the unwavering loyalty and honor that they all seemed to share. It was as though they were a single body, all sharing their treasured pride for their beloved kingdom.

"And so," Zelda went on, preparing to draw her speech to a close. "As we are gathered here together, there are no Hylians. There are no Gorons, no Zoras and no Gerudo. Instead, we are united, under one banner, for one cause. Today we are Hyrulians and today we must all make a choice. We must decide whether we will be conquered by darkness, or whether we will conquer the darkness!"

The people's triumphant cries of "Conquer!" gave the princess the final boost of confidence that she needed to bring her speech to a stirring finale. "Then let us go!" she shouted firmly above the continuous cheering. "Let us conquer the darkness for the sake of our families. For the sake of our home! For the sake of Hyrule! And as we fight," she said, remembering Impa's words of wisdom that had always brought comfort to her. "That so long as their is light to banish darkness, it can never extinguish hope!"

* * *

_The princess kept up her end of the bargain and indulged the hero by singing along with the band of street performers. She was shy about it at first, but after a song or two, her confidence grew and her harmonious voice was bouncing around brightly throughout the town square. Many people stopped to hear her sing and when it was all said and done, she received quite a few kind complements, all of which she accepted politely. _

"_Well?" Zelda said to Link once she had finished singing. _

"_Well what?" he asked, pretending not to remember their deal._

"_You know!" she said accusingly, elbowing him playfully in the arm. "I sang like you told me to so now it's time for us to dance!"_

"_But Zelda-" he started to protest, but the headstrong princess was already dragging him out into the square where a few other couples were moving to the slow moving song that was playing._

"_No!" she proclaimed, cutting him off. "No getting out of this one! Besides, it's not as hard as you think. If it makes you feel better, I'll lead, even though the boy is supposed to."_

_Link felt his cheeks grow hot at her lighthearted teasing but nonetheless he let her take his hands without any further arguments and carefully watched and copied her movements in time to the music. It took a few minutes of awkward stumbling, but soon enough the hero caught on and the two of them had fallen into a comfortable slow sway._

"_See?" Zelda said quietly, gradually pushing herself closer to him. "It's easy. You're not that bad of a dancer."_

"_Thanks. You're pretty good yourself," he said, returning her kind smile. Between the soothing movements to the gentle music and the princess slowly etching her way closer to him, the hero knew he could certainly get used to this._

* * *

**_Looks like I got some explaining to do. First of all writers block was killing me with this chapter as were some insane time restraints. Finals are coming up and I am swamped with school stuff. Not to mention I'm posting this chapter on my birthday! yay... i guess... :/ So anyway, this was also really long and most of it is just build up to the next chapter, which will be not only epic but also heart breaking! We're getting really close to the end now, only about a chapter away from the first chapter in our climax, which is good! So did you guys notice how I worked in that little bit about the Skyward Sword Manga by Akira Himekawa ;) I had originally intended not to include anything from the non cannon manga in this trilogy at all, but I was working through some stuff for Blood and Spirit the other day and I figured that I might as well make some small references to it here and there. If you've never read it (or don't own Hyrule Historia) then i highly suggest looking it up online somewhere cause it is awesome! So, sorry for rambling a bit here, I'll try and push out the next few chapters quicker than this one, but no promises ;) until next time!  
_**


	32. Hyrulian War

**_Ok so sorry for the long wait guys! normally I say a few things after the chapter is over, but I just wanted to say a brief word about the updated cover for this story. I drew the new cover myself (by hand of course), featuring several key aspects of the story. If you'd like to take a closer look at it, you can see it here by going to deviantART and pasting this in the bar beside it: art/Wisdom-and-Courage-374531746  
Leave a comment on it there if you want to! Now onto the story!  
_**

_Chapter 31_

"Fools…" the Sorceress of Shadows muttered darkly to herself as she watched the Hyrulian troops assemble into formation along the southern hills. She floated within in the center of the menacing vortex that she had created above the ruins of Castle Town, looking out from it at the ravaged landscape of her own design. "Look at them…" Veran said to Majora, referring to the group of roughly two thousand that now stood to oppose her. "How pathetic… every last one of them. Especially their 'beloved' princess. Blindly leading her people into a war she knows they have no chance of winning. Why even raise their hopes? What can she possibly hope to achieve?"

Her question hung on the silent air for several minutes, until the spirit of the ancient demon spoke to her, changing the subject completely. "You are afraid," it said emotionlessly. "I can sense it."

Veran's eyes widened, but only for a moment. "Nonsense," she scoffed bitterly. "I fear nothing for I have nothing to fear."

"You are wrong. There is but one thing that you fear," Majora retorted. "And you know as well as I do what it is… or rather, _who _it is…"

As Majora said this, Veran scowled hatefully at the army spreading across Hyrule's southern side, or rather specifically at the hero as he rode into view with the princess behind him. Her glower ever deepened as she reached down to gingerly touch the long scar that marked her midriff, given to her during her last encounter with the hero. "I am not afraid of him," she said firmly, curling her hand up into a fist. "He is weak, just like the kingdom he tries to protect. If it wasn't for that bothersome, persistent spirit of his, then he wouldn't even be worth my time."

Majora laughed darkly, seeing through her ruse. "So he is weak?" the mask taunted her. "Even with the power of the Fierce Deity's Mask? If you truly believed that then you would have been able to dispose of him back in Termina. Admit it; he is too much for even you."

"Enough!" Veran shouted angrily, lighting her tight fists up with violent purple flames. "I have said it before and I will say it again: he will _not _best me! He will fall and I will break that unbreakable spirit of his! I swear by the might of my ancestors that I will succeed where they failed! I will eradicate the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero and I shall reign over this land, and all lands, forever!"

* * *

Meanwhile, the troops of Hyrule took up their strategic lines along the crest of the hills overlooking the main stretch of Hyrule Field. Fortunately, this would be a downhill battle, giving them a geographic advantage. But as they looked out across the tattered landscape, it appeared as though there wouldn't even be a fight; the monsters that had devastated the land earlier now seemed to be completely gone, leaving only an ominous cover of shadows spread across every inch of the ground. Though initially curious about it, most of the people didn't think too much of it, believing it to merely be an effect of the lack of light thanks to the dark skies above.

Link and Zelda came up behind the multitude of troops, both of them seated on Epona. Despite the princess' protests, most of the army officers insisted that she stay behind the troops for her own safety and Link agreed with them, much to Zelda's frustration. Though both of them truly wanted to fight along the front lines with the soldiers, the hero knew that if they were to do that then his chances of keeping the princess safe would be greatly decreased. If he didn't have her with him, then he would certainly be the first to boldly charge into the oncoming battle, but at the moment, he knew that he had to take any necessary precaution to protect her.

Once the troops were finally positioned, a collective and patient silence fell over their number as they all waited for the princess to command them to advance. Zelda took in a deep, tentative breath as she firmly grasped the Bow of Light and sent one more silent prayer to the goddesses for them to be with the people of Hyrule in this battle. Link glanced back towards the princess and gave her a final brief smile of encouragement. Zelda did not return it, but rather responded with a nod as she slowly aimed her bow towards the heavens. Closing her eyes, she focused and summoned all of the sacred power she could muster to create a light arrow, much stronger than any she had crafted before. When it had reached its full capacity of power, Zelda let the shining projectile fly to the crimson skies. All eyes were on the arrow as it ascended through the air and the moment it touched the dark clouds, it's pure light spread across the entire sky, cutting through the darkness and briefly illuminating the landscape. Even after the arrow had vanished into nothingness, the crimson clouds did not return, replaced by a neutral white that now covered the skies. The princess continued to stare into the pale sky in amazement, even as the commands to charge rang out across the valley and the sound of thundering footsteps erupted across the ground. As she gazed into the white expanse the reality finally sunk in; she was leading her people into a war, and there was no stopping it now.

With the Master Sword already drawn, Link brought Epona into a full gallop after the Hyrulian soldiers began their advance. Zelda still hung onto her bow, knowing that its power to banish darkness would be helpful in this fight. But still, it did not seem as though a fight would arise as the troops covered the first mile or so of Hyrule Field completely without incident. Morale was high, for they knew that with each and every step, they were getting closer to the kingdom's fallen capital. Or at least until the shrill, ear-splitting screech roared out across the land, accompanied by the sudden quaking of the earth.

Momentarily deafened by the high pitched noise, the throng came to a halt in its entirety as they closely watched the pall of shadows blanketing the ground beginning to shift and split. Out of the darkness, strange, human-like beings arose all across the landscape, their numbers far surpassing those of the Hyrulian army. The creatures seemed to be entirely composed of shadows rather than actually substance, the only color emanating off of them being their glowing red eyes. They moved aggressively, already rushing for the Hyrulians, who continued their advance fearlessly, despite their strange new opposition.

"What are those things?!" Zelda shouted to Link above the already loud sounds of the melee.

"If I could guess," the hero called back to her as he pushed Epona forward into the brawl. "That's Veran's army."

The princess frowned somewhat fearfully, but nodded nonetheless. How fitting for the Sorceress of Shadows to have her army composed of darkness itself. But even so, Zelda raised her bow to take aim at the shadow creatures, letting several arrows fly in quick succession in their direction. Likewise Link rushed towards them with his sword brandished and immediately upon contact with the first wave of creatures, the hero struck down several from atop his horse. Despite their vast number, the shadow beings were weak and simple for even the most inexperienced soldier to down within a matter of seconds. And that's exactly what the Hyrulian soldiers did; they crashed through the enemy lines valiantly as the continued their campaign towards Castle Town, cheering for the glory of Hyrule all the while. Zelda couldn't be more proud of her beloved people as she watched them triumph. Perhaps this would be a battle they could win after all.

However, as they cleared the first set of shadows, the tide of the battle began to shift quickly and unexpectedly. As their numbers decreased to match those of the Hyrulian army, the shadow creatures began to change their forms. Within a matter of seconds, many of the creatures took on the appearances of their opponents. The images of Gorons, Zoras, Gerudos and Hylian soldiers became noticeable as they engaged those whom they were attacking in combat. They even mimicked their weapons and fighting styles until the two armies were perfectly matched in skill and strength. And it was at that point that the bloodshed began.

Since their enemies were composed of shadows, if one creature was slaughtered than two more would rise to take its place and gang up on the soldiers, killing quite a few of them with relative ease. The triumphant cheers of the Hyrulians quickly turned to panicked and painful shrieks. But even so, Hyrule's people continued to fight, knowing that to surrender this battle would be to surrender their homes and families.

Since they were following some distance behind the front lines, Link and Zelda didn't catch sight of the violence until it was several minutes in and many had already met their ends. The hero brought his steed to a halt as the two of them looked out across the watched scene before them in shock and horror. The once fertile ground of Hyrule was now stained red with the blood of those who fought for its freedoms. Its formerly crystal clean rivers now flowed crimson instead of blue and the air was thick and heavy with the sounds and sensations of death. The relentless fighting still pressed onwards several miles ahead of them, even as the corpses of those who had been mercilessly slaughtered lay scattered across the landscape. Hundreds had already fallen and those who were not yet dead but still dying groaned out in agony, simply wishing to be free from the pain of their wounds. And as Hyrule's princess saw it all, tears fell down her cheeks without end. Her people were suffering, dying even, and for what? To free Hyrule from Veran, which was a war that was not even theirs to wage? For a peaceful future that was growing more and more distant as each one of them fell in succession? Zelda's body shook with sobs of pity and remorse as she realized that there was no hope for them. More than anything else, she wanted to be anywhere but here, on this bloodstained battle field, surrounded by the dead bodies of those who swore loyalty to her. But even though she tried, she found that she could not look away from their suffering, suffering that she felt right along with them in her heart. And she just couldn't stand it any longer.

"We can't stay here," Zelda whispered fearfully between short, panicked breaths of anxiety. "We have to run. We have to get as far away from here as possible. If we don't, then she'll find us… and… and…"

"Zelda," Link said firmly as he looked back at her. He knew that she had never seen anything like this senseless display of violence before and he also knew how much it hurt her to see her people in pain. And as much as he wished for nothing more than to take her far away from it all, to some place where she would be safe, he knew it was far too late for that now. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen. There was no way around it. "We can't. She'll find us no matter where we go. All we can do is keep going."

Zelda shook her head, her eyes wide with terror. "No…" she cried desperately. "Link, she'll kill us. Just like she's killed… all of them… We can't do this. She's won. She is going to kill us… She is going to kill you…"

Immediately, the hero quieted the miserable princess as he took both of her hands with his free one. Zelda broke down into inconsolable sobs as Link tried anything he could to comfort her. "It's ok," he whispered as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into a loose embrace. "It'll be alright," he said, knowing he was lying, but desperate to do anything at the moment to keep her sane. "As long as you're safe, I'll be fine."

Tears streaming down her cheeks, she looked him in the eyes and saw fear mixed with strength in them once again. She longed to know such strength at a moment like this, but her own fears choked her, preventing her mind from seeing peace. She knew all too well what was going to happen and she knew that there was absolutely nothing she could do to prevent it. At the same time, she also understood that he knew what was about to happen, but she was amazed that he was so calm about it. "Link-" she began, until she noticed what was quickly approaching him from behind. But she had no time to even warn him about the oncoming shadow creature, for it was already up them before she could even let out a surprised gasp.

The creature crashed into the hero in a blind rush, directly hitting his shoulder with the tip of its sharp weapon and knocking him to the ground. Epona reared in a panic but Zelda still had her wits about her to grab the reigns and hold on. Once the horse was calmed, the princess spun around to find the shadow standing over Link menacingly, ready to end him since he was unarmed, as the Master Sword had fallen away out of his reach. Fortunately, he had sustained no injury to his shoulder thanks to the golden armor, but he was still in great danger nonetheless. Zelda cried out to the hero fearfully, especially when she noticed the shape that the shadow had taken on. Like the rest of the shadow creatures, this one copied its opponent's appearance perfectly and much to the princess' horror, this creature looked identical to Link, save for its red eyes and shadowy substance.

The hero, however, didn't seem to be too phased by the fact that he was basically fighting himself. Instead, he kept a level head and quickly took action, punching his dark counterpart in the jaw so he could reclaim both his sword and his footing. The moment Link was on his feet again, he swung his sword right at the shadow creature, only for it to be met with a blackened recreation of the Master Sword. Upon a second attempt, the two blades clashed evenly yet again, though neither of them faltered. And still after several more successive swings, neither one of them had gotten any closer to landing a hit on the other.

Tensely observing the battle, Zelda slowly and silently slipped off of Epona's back and positioned her bow to take aim at the shadow creature while it wasn't looking, in order to aid Link in any way she could. However, before she could even create an arrow, an unknown projectile flew past her, narrowly missing her face by just a few inches. The princess spun around to face her attacker, or rather herself, as the shadow creature that was quickly approaching her had taken on her form, complete with its own bow of darkness. Her eyes wide with shock and fear, she quickly glanced over at her hero, who was still engaged in combat with his own dark copy and she knew that this would be a fight that she's have to win on her own. So, trying to suppress her fears, Zelda conjured up a light arrow and sent in flying towards the shadow creature, who had simultaneously released its own dark arrow. The two projectiles collided with one another with tremendous force, but in the end, both arrows were dispelled by the other.

At this point, it seemed as though all four of them were at a stalemate. Zelda and her dark imitation aimed their respective bows at each other tensely but they did not fire while Link squared off against his own shadow creature. The hero and the princess stood back to back while their murderous doppelgangers circled them tensely, bloodlust in their glowing red eyes. And it was as Link was staring his identical opponent that he finally came up with an idea.

"Zelda!" he called out to the princess, who briefly turned away from her shadow creature to glance at him.

"Yes?" she asked, her bow still poised to let an arrow fly.

"We need to switch."

"What?!" Zelda asked in surprise, her eyes widening as she glanced at him once more, realizing the danger in this plan. "That's crazy! That could get us killed!"

"Think about it," Link said evenly. "They match us perfectly in skills and weapons. That's why we can't hurt them. But if you take on mine and I fight yours…"

"Then it won't be a match anymore!" Zelda finished his thought excitedly, realizing this was a brilliant plan. "Great idea, Link! Let's do it."

"Ok," he said, gripping his sword tighter. "Then we're going to have to be quick. Ready?" The princess nodded, a light arrow already crafted on her bowstring. "Go!"

In less than a second, the two of them spun around, taking up the other's former position. The shadow creatures barely had any time to react to the sudden change of opponents. But in that moment, when Link and Zelda should have been taking care of the shadowy copies once and for all, they both froze up, if only for a moment when they realized just what they were about to do. Even though both of the shadow creatures were false copies, they bore enough semblance to the real things that it caused both of them to hesitate. The hero and the princess both silently wondered what would happen if they ever actually forced to fight each other in the flesh. How could either of them willingly raise a hand to strike down the person they cared the most about? Neither of them wanted to dwell on such a grim thought at an important moment like however; there was work to be done now.

Link and Zelda attacked the shadow creatures at almost the exact same moment. The hero swung his blade at Zelda's shadowy counterpart, who was armed with nothing more than a bow and the creature vanished in a puff of dark smoke. Likewise, Zelda's pure light arrow cut through Link's dark impersonator, dispersing it in the same way. And as the apparitions vanished, the hero and the princess looked to one another in relief and angst. Though this minor trial was over, an even greater one awaited them underneath the swirling vortex that still loomed above Castle Town.

While the princess and the hero had been fighting their respective shadow creatures, the main battle had moved on several miles past them. By now, a large majority of both Hyrule's troops and Veran's creatures had fallen, a fact that Link and Zelda could clearly see as they rode across the now nearly empty expanse leading to Castle Town. And, once they cleared the crest of the final hill before the town walls, the outcome of the battle became clear.

About a hundred or so Hyrulian soldiers of varying races stood several years away from Castle Town's walls, finishing off the last of the shadow creatures. The small group who still stood to fight made up the sole remaining members of Hyrule's once vast army. Those who were not engaged in fighting tried to advance their way towards the castle but were blocked off by some unseen force, no doubt the invisible barricade that Veran was said to have set up surrounding the city. As the last few shadow creatures vanished, the small remnant of Hyrule's army gathered together before the barrier, awaiting the appearance of their princess. And as Zelda saw the morose and silent group, reduced from a thousand to only a hundred, her heart was moved with pity and empathy. Despite the bloodshed all around them, these few soldiers still stood firm, ready to keep fighting. Indeed they had done as they had said they would; they conquered and had come out victorious, even if it had come at a great price.

To signify her arrival to the people, Zelda shot a light arrow directly at the unseeable barrier. And much to the surprise of her, the hero and all of the soldiers, the sacred arrow illuminated the barricade entirely, giving it a pure golden glow but not destroying it. The soldiers, in their curiosity, tried to piece the shining barricade with their weapons but they did little to leave a dent in it. However, at that moment, the hilt of the Master Sword began to glow in a gentle blue light. Link and Zelda both took notice of it, but only the hero really understood what it meant. Thinking back to his meeting with Fi, Link drew the blade which was bathed in a sacred light, as if the mysterious spirit inside of the sword was telling him to use it. And so that's what he did. With a courageous shout, the hero charged his horse onward, with the tip of the Master Sword aimed directly for the golden barrier. The moment the blade of evil's bane made contact with the barrier, it shattered in a burst of light, letting Link, Zelda and the remainder of Hyrule's troops pass on through to the town gates, their patriotic cheers ringing out across the battleground all the while.

The company came to a halt directly before the drawbridge, every eye turning to look at the menacing vortex that hung above the ruins. A tense silence settled upon them all, as the wondered what was going to happen next. Zelda and Link turned to look at one another, knowing that their final battle lay just beyond that bride. A battle that would not only determine the future of Hyrule, but their own fates as well. And the more Zelda thought about it, the more she realized that this was to be their battle, not the battle of the people of Hyrule as a whole. Even though they had great pride and they had come so far, they had also lost so many and had fought too hard. It was because of this fact that the princess simply could not allow them to take part in this battle.

Since her and Link were already near the bridge, Zelda took the liberty of slipping off Epona's back and after a moment or two the hero did likewise. The princess watched as her remaining troops began to congregate near her, glad to see that Commander Finn and a few other soldiers she knew personally were among them, still alive and well. Meanwhile Link stood by stroking Epona, giving what he knew would be his last goodbye to his loyal horse. The hero was almost certain that he wouldn't be returning from the battle that was about to take place beyond those gates, no matter what its outcome was going to be. Epona, sensing his dread and finality, nuzzled her head against his hand gently and respectfully, returning the gratitude that he was showing her for her years of faithful service to him.

Zelda was almost moved to tears as she turned to watch the heartbreaking exchange between the hero and his horse. She knew that an even more tragic goodbye would have to take between the two of them in the very near future. No matter how much she wished that someone else could take their place in this cruel destiny, this was fate's design for both of them and though she could question it, she could not change it. But at the moment, she forced her thoughts to turn elsewhere; to the stalwart group that stood before her, as she carefully chose the words she wanted to say to them.

Before addressing them however, Zelda silently motioned to Link that she was ready to head inside the town. The hero nodded as he sent Epona away for the last time. He rejoined the princess and the two of them walked together to stand just past the other side of the drawbridge past the town walls.

"When I tell you to," she whispered to him as they walked. "Use the lever to lift the drawbridge. I don't want any of them following us."

Link frowned, but nodded nonetheless. "I really don't want you going in here either," he said. "I wish you'd stay out here with them where it's safer."

The princess smiled grimly and shook her head. "Like you said, it's too late for that now. This is _our _destiny. We have to share this burden together."

Once the two of them were standing on the other side of the bridge, the Hyrulian troops started to follow after them but Zelda raised her arms to stop them so she could speak to them once more. "Brave people of Hyrule," she said loudly to catch their attention. "We have fought hard to get here. Yet this victory was not easily won. Many of us have fallen, but those of us who remain stand proud and firm. I commend you all for your courage and determination. I am honored to have such valiant fighters among my people." She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, knowing that her people would protest what she was about to say but realizing that it needed to be done for their sakes. "Words cannot express the love I have for all of you, my beloved people and for this kingdom as a whole. As I watched you fight and sacrifice all you had today for the sake of your freedom, I was inspired by your sense of duty and responsibility to this land. And… I know now what my responsibility to all of you is. As your princess, it is my duty to protect you and ensure your prosperity for years to come. And as far as I can see, there is only one way for me to fulfill my duty. Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows must fall if Hyrule is to ever see the pure light that once shone upon it again." The troops immediately cheered in support, but the princess silenced them, a look of guilt and sadness on her face. "I could not ask for a better group of warriors to take into battle with me…. But this is not yours fight. I do not doubt your courage and strength. I never would after what I witnessed today. But there are battles that one must fight alone. From the very start, this has never been your battle, my dear people. Before Veran even descended upon Hyrule, this has always been my fight, my destiny and my responsibility. And though the task that lies ahead of me may seem impossible, it is a duty that I must uphold for you and for all who live in my kingdom." As she said this, Zelda quickly turned and nodded to Link, signaling for him to lift the drawbridge. The hero lifted the lever to the bridge, just as the soldiers realized what their princess intended to do.

Instantly, the entire group rushed forward, trying to reach the drawbridge before it rose, but ultimately failing. The people cried out in desperation to Zelda, begging her not to go through with this. She heard their pleas, but knew that she could not listen to them. But even so she was touched by how much her people truly cared for her, so much so that she tears almost fell from her eyes though she stopped them at the last second. She had to be strong now; for them. So instead she gave them a small smile of reassurance as the drawbridge rose between them separating the beloved princess from her loyal people.

Even after the drawbridge had been shut, Zelda continued to stare at it, her mind flooded with so many emotions at once. It wasn't until Link came to stand beside her and put a consoling arm around her that her thoughts turned from her people to him. It was finally time. All the dread that had been accumulating for the past several days had finally reached its height. Here was where it was going to end. Either they would defeat Veran and peace would return to Hyrule, or she would slaughter them both and reign over the land forever. There was no middle ground or other way. These were the only two outcomes and at the moment, Link and Zelda had no idea which one was going to come true.

Though one would not be able to tell from outside of Castle Town's walls, the vortex was actually positioned above the only building that still stood in the ruined town: the Temple of Time. The hero and the princess didn't even need to ask themselves if that where Veran was. Without question she was there, simply waiting for them to arrive. They were close. The path ahead of them was clear, only a few steps even, but they both wanted those few steps to last as long as they could.

"So this is it…" Zelda said quietly as they walked slowly towards the temple.

Link nodded. "Yes," he said, as he took her hand for perhaps the last time. "It is."

She shook her head sadly. "You know, neither of us are even dead yet but it's like we're already saying our final goodbyes," she sighed mournfully. "What did we ever do to have all of this pushed upon us?"

The hero thought for a moment before responding. "We were born," he said, somewhat jokingly, trying to lighten the heavy mood to ease the princess' dread.

Zelda laughed bitterly. "I suppose so," she said, glancing down. "I bet Hylia and her hero could have never guessed that any of this would happen to their descendants. If they had, then maybe they would have stopped the goddesses before they 'blessed' the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero. After all, it's far from a blessing. It's a curse."

Link nodded in agreement. "The thing is, even if we didn't have to do this, we still would."

Zelda bit her lip as she glanced back to the drawbridge momentarily. "You're right," she said firmly. "We'd do it because we both care about them. About Hyrule." She took in a deep breath as she tightened her grip on his hand. "We have to win. If for nothing else, then for them."

"And we will," the hero said with determination. "We'll win, no matter what it takes."

The princess frowned, knowing well what he was implying, but knowing that there was no other way around it. And as hard as she tried, she still could not accept the fact that he would be gone very soon.

By now, the couple had arrived at within the temple's yard, where the presence of evil loomed thick and heavy. They came to a brief halt there for a moment to mentally prepare themselves for the oncoming battle. But they also used this time to say a proper goodbye. Link wrapped his arms around Zelda in a protective and comforting embrace as she buried her head into his shoulder. And for several minutes they remained in this silent embrace until Zelda looked up at Link, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"If I had never met you, my life would have been so miserable and boring," she said with a sad smile. "And even if I do loose you, then I'll still have the memories of our time together. I only wish we could have more…. Link… I love you…"

Their faces gravitated into a long kiss, full of both passion and sorrow. But when they pulled apart, they still clung onto one another tightly. "Zelda," Link began with a soft smile. "I'm sorry for everything I've ever put you through. I'm sorry for what I'm about to put you through. But I need you to know that I've never been as close to someone as I am to you. When I'm with you, I feel like I'm at home, wherever we are. And I love you too."

He draw her back into a another kiss, this one even longer than the last. It had a feeling of finality to it, and both of them realized that this would be the last time they could ever hold each other and the last kiss they would ever share. And as much as both of them wanted it to last forever, they knew it could only go on for so long. Gradually, they parted, breaking their warm embrace but keeping their hands interlocked as they gazed into each other's eyes for a long time. And, though neither of them were prepared for it, they slowly entered the temple to face whatever their destiny had in store for them.

* * *

_Zelda sat cross-legged in the grass of her courtyard, fresh tears of mourning streaming down her face. The bright morning sun teased her by shining happily down upon her as she lamented her father's passing. The king had died the previous night from a serious illness that had been spreading around Castle Town. His death had been sudden and completely unexpected, as he had only been ill for a few days. But even so, he was gone, leaving Zelda not only an orphan, but also the new sole ruler of Hyrule at the young age of fifteen. _

_If her father's death wasn't hard enough on her, the young princess also had to put with the members of the council already pressuring her with matters of state, with the king still fresh on his deathbed. She had managed to slip away from the cranky old men and the funeral preparations to find a few moments at ease here in the quiet outdoors, but even that did little to sooth her heartbreak. _

_She closed her eyes and bowed her head, reverently praying to Nayru for guidance and wisdom but also for comfort during these hard times. As she was praying, she heard the familiar sound of approaching footsteps from behind her. She didn't open her eyes to watch Link as he took a seat beside her in the grass. Several minutes of silence lingered between the two of them, until finally, the hero spoke._

"_Impa told me what happened," Link said sympathetically. "I'm sorry about your father."_

_Zelda took in a sad, yet level breath as she finally turned to look at him. "Its fine…" she said, wiping a few stray tears away. "I think the worst part of it all is having to deal with the councilmen. It's like they don't even care that Father died last night. All they care about is their own selfish needs. And what's worse, is even though I'm in charge of the kingdom now, they still won't listen to a word I say… It's just hard…" _

_He nodded in understanding but suddenly came up with an idea. "Why don't we go somewhere for a while?" the hero asked. "It could take your mind off of things."_

_The princess smiled as she sniffled, taking Link's hand as he helped her to her feet. "Yes," she said, glancing up at the brilliant sunshine. "I'd like that very much."_

* * *

**Ok so like I said, its been a while! I've been super busy with finals and all that but now I am officially on summer vacation, which means TONS of free time to write! XD at least until i get a job... :/ Anyway, Sorry if this chapter was kinda lame, cause I think it is. But at least now, we've finally reached out climax dear readers! I already have it planned out so well! Let me break it down for you really quick: the next two chapters will be the action packed, dramatic climax and the two chapters after that will be the resolution followed by an additional, but different kind of resolution chapter and then the epilogue. We're so close to the end I can almost taste it! and you wanna know what it tastes like? REVIEWS! That's what! Now get to it! thanks! until next time!  
**


	33. Reign of Shadows

_Chapter 32_

The interior of the Temple of Time was so heavily silent that Link and Zelda's footsteps echoed loudly as they walked in. From the moment they entered, the hero already had his sword drawn and the princess already had a light arrow notched on her bowstring. They both held their breath anxiously as they glanced around the structure, searching for their common foe. No doubt she wanted to end this just as much as they did, but what confused them was that Veran was nowhere to be found.

However, as they passed through the temple's main hall, Zelda stopped short, suddenly remembering something that she had been meaning to tell the hero for a long time. And, seeing as how there was a high chance that she might not have the opportunity to tell him later, she figured that now would be as good a time as any. "Link, wait," she said as he turned to face her. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you about."

"What is it?" he asked.

The princess closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, wondering how he would take what she was about to say. "When Veran had us both captured and she had you out looking for the Fused Shadows, I had a dream…" she began slowly. "It was more of a nightmare really, and I sincerely hope and pray that it is not a vision. And yet… part of it has already come true. In the nightmare, I was standing before Castle Town as it burnt to the ground. That must have been a sign that it would be destroyed and it was, but the second part of the dream was by far worse. You were there with me, but it was as if you were in a trance or something… and then Veran appeared and for a moment, I thought the two of you were going to fight until you drew your sword… Link, it was the same sword that you had when you were wearing the Fierce Deity's Mask… But the worst part of it all was that Veran was somehow controlling you with her powers, commanding you to… to kill… me…"

The moment Zelda said this, Link's eyes widened in fear and slight panic. In most cases, when the princess had a vivid dream, more often than not they turned out to be visions which always came true. The hero knew this and realized that her latest dream would most likely be no exception. If Zelda believed this to be a vision, then there was almost a guarantee that it would happen. Which meant that if he were to put the Fierce Deity's mask on again, he'd be forced to hurt the princess, even murder her, against his will. Though there were few things that actually brought fear to the hero's courageous heart, the very thought outright terrified him more than anything else. "Zelda," Link said as he sheathed the Master Sword and firmly placed his hands on the princess' shoulders. "In your dream, I… I didn't actually… kill you… did I?" Zelda gazed into his eyes fearfully for a moment before looking down despondently. "Zelda… please tell me that I didn't," he pressed desperately. She simply closed her eyes and shook her head sadly as a stray tear fell down her cheek. She knew regretted ever telling him about her dream now, upon seeing his worry and turmoil about it. "Zelda…" he whispered as his hands slipped off her shoulders, knowing the answer. And at that moment, the hero knew that he couldn't use the Fierce Deity's Mask in the impending battle. Even though Veran's power was great, he'd have to rely on his own strength, even if he doubted he could defeat her on his own. He could not give rise to the chance that he could be responsible for the princess' death. Instead, he would do anything he possibly could to prevent it, including making this battle almost impossible to win. And, as much as the hero hated to even think about it, if the princess were to die, it would not be by his own hands.

To console and comfort her, Link wrapped his arms around Zelda once more. After a few minutes of this, the princess pushed herself away from him, wiping her tears and replacing her sadness with a stone cold expression. Her grief and sorrow quickly turned to anger and frustration. She hated how impossible their entire situation seemed to be. No matter how this was going to end something was going to be lost, whether it was going to be one of them or both of them. And the more she thought about it, the more she saw that there was no point in stalling the inevitable any longer. She walked past her hero briskly, stopping only for a second to turn back and glance at his angst torn expression. "Whatever's going to happen," she said emotionlessly. "It needs to happen now."

Putting his last few apprehensions behind him, Link nodded and followed after her. With tense, slow footsteps the couple continued on to the Door of Time without incident. Still finding no sign of the Sorceress of Shadows, they passed through the ancient doorway into the Master Sword's tall chamber. The sole, large window that normally provided sun light to the temple's back room instead flooded the area with a dull, shadowed mockery of light. Once they were inside the chamber, Link and Zelda both came to a halt before the Pedestal of Time to glance around for Veran once more. However, as they were doing so, the Door of Time quickly began to close behind them. Startled by the sudden break of tension, they both spun around to watch as the heavy stone door slid shut, blocking their only way of escape.

"Destiny is a peculiar thing, is it not?" the sorceress' voice cryptically echoed throughout the chamber the moment the door closed completely. The hero and the princess turned to face their adversary, who stood on the other side of the pedestal with her back turned to them. "The paths you go along, the choices you are forced to make… You Hylians claim that the goddesses shape your destinies and that they guide you to prosperity, correct? That they care for all of the beings they have created and let the sun of this land shine down equally upon them all? If that is true, then answer me this: why did they abandon my people in favor of yours? What entitles your race to be better than what mine used to be, even though we were greater than you?"

Knowing that Veran was speaking blasphemy against the goddesses, Zelda spoke up boldly. "They never abandoned the Sheikah," she protested. "If anything, the goddesses honored their bravery and skill by appointing them as the guardians of-"

"Guardian?!" Veran scoffed bitterly, slightly turning her head to glance back at them. "Please. They made us _slaves _to _your _ancestor, princess. And how did Hylia repay that bravery, skill and loyalty of ours? By raising up a hero to accomplish work that we easily could have! It only makes sense that my ancestors broke away from her weak-minded supporters. At a time, we had been so close to taking our proper place in this world. So close to repaying the injustices that Hylia, Din, Nayru and Farore cast upon us. So close to undoing our shame and hardship… The Triforce would have been ours! We would have used the very power of the gods to destroy the world that they created for every race except for ours! But… they did not even give us that chance. The goddesses manipulated our destiny and tipped the scales in the favor of the Hylians simply out of spite. And then, because they did not know what else to do with us, they banished us to the darkness so that we would languish away in ignorance, becoming mere shadows of our former glory. As if to tease our failure, they rose a kingdom up in this land and made is prosperous and peaceful. It just wasn't fair…

"But my own people didn't even seem to realize the wrongs that had been done to them," Veran said, almost sadly, pity starting to creep into her voice for perhaps the first time. "There was a time when we had power… a time when the world was almost ours and yet… they forgot that it was all torn from our hands. They knew our history, but they did not want to go back and change it for the better. But we still had so much potential. I knew that, and more than anything else I wanted to raise us out of the darkness and return to the light. To conquer it and create glorious shadow! But my people wouldn't have it. They turned against me; my own kin and countrymen. They called me insane and said that my plans would never come to fruition. I will admit that I was young and naive when I first pitched my strategy to them, but they did not want to peruse it because they did not want anything better for themselves. The world that I thought I knew was torn from me, and surprisingly, I have never wanted it back since."

Veran took in a deep breath as she finally turned around to face them both. The hateful scowl on her face seemed to be darkened even more by the multiple shadows within the room. "Perhaps it was out of mere spite and revenge that I came to this land for the first time seventeen years ago with three very specific groups of people that I sought to eradicate," she said, placing her hands behind her back. "The first was the Sheikah, those who still tirelessly protected Hylia's descendants even though they received no recognition for it. They were all pathetic fools, much weaker than their ancestors, but they served a purpose in my plans by providing me with the secrets of the Sacred Realm before I slaughtered almost all of them. The next group was the royal family, the descendants of Hylia herself who held the keys to the Triforce. But thanks to the Sheikah and the sages, I was… unable to destroy them before I was banished back to my native realm. I suppose you were lucky, princess. You were spared for a few more years at the least, as were you, my dear hero. For by far the most enjoyable group to slaughter was the knights of Hyrule, the successors of Hylia's hero who protected her offspring still. They fought fearlessly, but their courage did little to save them in the end." Veran let lose a small, cruel snicker as Link's grip on the hilt of the Master Sword tightened in anger at her disparaging words. Zelda took notice of this and looked at her hero worriedly. She knew all too well what Veran was trying to do: she was trying to provoke him. The sorceress wanted Link to put the Fierce Deity's Mask on, if only for the purpose that it would corrupt both him and his spirit. And of course, that thought alone terrified the princess more than anything else at the moment.

"And so here I am once again," Veran continued as a slow, malicious smile began to claim her lips. "Facing the last members of the royal family and the Hylian knights. The one of the blood of the goddess and the one of the spirit of the hero. The Princess of Destiny and the Hero of Time. The former bearers of Wisdom and Courage. Who would have thought that such a fated pair would end up being star crossed lovers? Both of you must certainly know that neither of you will make it out of this encounter alive to be with each other in the end. And why is that? Because your beloved goddesses 'blessed' your kind. They had this cruel destiny to which both of you are bound to formed before either of you were even born. You're both simply tools to them, extensions of their own selfish wills. If the goddesses actually cared anything about you then answer me this: where are they now? Will they come to save you when no one else can? And, if the two of you had been allowed to shape your own destinies from the start, where would you be now?"

Link and Zelda glanced at each other once more, knowing the answer to this question without even thinking and this time, the hero was the one to counter her false claims. "You're wrong, Veran," he said boldly. "And you've always been wrong. We're not here because the goddesses made us come. We're here because we want to set things right. You've already taken enough from us; you're not taking anything else."

Veran's evil grin widened at this proclamation. "So you believe, hero..." she said wickedly. "But simply believing does not make you right. I have indeed taken much: the Triforce, this kingdom, countless lives… But I will continue to take until all is mine. First, I will take your lives. I will destroy the only two who could ever possibly destroy me. Then I will take the Sacred Realm. It is the very reason why I have chosen this to be the venue of our final encounter for it is from the Temple of Time that one may gain access to the golden land. And then I shall triumph even over your precious goddesses themselves. They shall bow to me, as all peoples of all races and lands shall. You both should consider it an honor that you will be the first to fall to the endless might of Veran, Queen of Shadows!" Veran's riotous wicked laughter echoed throughout the chamber and it was at that moment that the princess and the hero both realized that this last battle, which would determine the fate of all existence, had finally begun.

Without another word, Zelda raised her bow and let an arrow fly at the sorceress while Link charged for her with the Master Sword aimed right at her. Veran did not teleport herself out of the way of either attacks but simply created a barrier to dispel the princess' arrow and formed a rapier in her hand to block the hero's strike. The moment the two blades clashed, Link backed up and tried again, slashing at her from a different angle, but the sorceress was quick to repel that too.

"You fight well, hero," Veran sneered as they clashed swords once more. "It's a shame that you're so predictable though."

Upon taking another one of her condescending insults, all the pent up rage that Link had towards the sorceress suddenly began to flow to the surface all at once. Without thinking, he swung at her fiercely once again, pressing down hard as their blades met once more. "I won't be so predictable when I-" He began angrily, but stopped short before mentioning the Fierce Deity's Mask, remembering Zelda's dream. His only concrete plan for this battle had fallen through, so now all he could do was keep fighting until Veran finally killed him.

"When you what?" Veran taunted him, knowing full well what he was about to say.

Still pressing his sword against hers, Link glanced back at Zelda, who stood several feet behind him with a light arrow aimed at the sorceress, ready to fly. When she caught sight of him looking at her however, she lowered her bow and gave him a questioning look which he did not answer. Instead, he gave her a brief yet confident smile, much to her confusion, as he backed away from Veran, trying to plan his next move. The princess alone was motivation enough for him to never stop fighting. For her and for the world they once could have had together.

Veran continued to smirk wickedly at him as she created a burst of purple flame above her palm. Link kept his gaze locked on it as she sent it flying at him. He easily dodged it, but when the flame hit the nearest wall, it rebounded, sending it flying back at him once more. Zelda took notice of this and quickly took action, pulling back an arrow and shooting it skillfully at the fire. The glowing projectile hit its mark perfectly, the pure light of the arrow dispelling the dark magic of the violet flame completely.

By this point, Veran stood in the center of the chamber, with Zelda several feet to her right and Link several feet to her left. The hero and the princess simultaneously realized that they were in advantageous positions, for certainly the sorceress wouldn't be able to keep her attention on both of them at once. The two of them exchanged another glance and nodded, not needing words to explain their common plan. Link was the first to strike, rushing at Veran with his sword brandished. She reacted accordingly by blocking him with her own blade as she had the last several times he had attempted this. But fortunately, she had her back turned to Zelda, who already had a light arrow formed and knocked. Not wasting a second, she let it fly straight at the sorceress' unprotected back and thanks to her being distracted with the hero, it hit her directly. Veran screamed in pain as the pure, sacred light of the arrow hit her in full force, giving Link enough time to land a heavy blow across her chest with the Master Sword. It wasn't enough to gravely injure her, but enough to cause her a great deal of pain nonetheless.

Veran clutched the large cut across her chest and cast a protective barrier around herself before the hero and the princess could try for a second strike. Upon looking down at her hand covered with her own blood, she clenched her fist in fury. "Enough of these childish games!" Majora hissed at her. "End this. _Now."_

The sorceress shook her head, malice and hatred for the princess and the hero clearly showing in her red and yellow eye. "No…" she retorted back to it. "I want to make this as slow and painful for them as possible… They will suffer… as their pathetic ancestors should have ages ago!"

Veran let her barrier break in an explosion of darkness. The force of the blast was enough to knock both Link and Zelda back into the hard stone walls of the chamber. The hero was the first to recover from the rough impact, only to find Veran glancing viciously at Zelda, who was still picking herself up off the ground, with a tongue of flame formed over her palm. Without a second thought, Link was on his feet, racing for the sorceress with his sword ready to strike her once more. However, when he was less than a few feet away from her, Veran snapped her fingers, instantly transforming the flame into her rapier. She met his swing squarely before he could stop it and, much to his misfortune, her blade was aglow with violet electricity. Burning pain coursed throughout the hero's body and he cried out in agony, unable to let go of his sword due to the paralyzing shock. Zelda heard him and immediately rose to her feet, already aiming her bow at the sorceress in anger, desperately wanting to end the torture she was inflicting on the hero. She loosed her arrow at Veran's turned back, but this time she knew it was coming and slashed her sword against Link's chest, sending him flying into the nearest wall with great force. She quickly turned and swung at Zelda's approaching arrow, sending it right back at the princess. Luckily, Zelda had the wits about her to narrowly leap out of its path, despite having to watch her hero be knocked against the wall brutally. But what the princess did not see was that along with the arrow, Veran had also sent three bursts of flame as well. Unable to dodge all three of the sudden projectiles, one of them hit Zelda squarely in the stomach, throwing her towards the wall roughly.

Meanwhile, Navi was fluttering around Link in a panic, desperately trying to rouse him before Veran could hurt him more. The hero was only half-conscious, still recoiling from the extreme pain in his chest and the aftermath of Veran's electrifying blade. But he could not let his pain stop him, no matter how great it was; especially when he saw the princess get knocked into the wall by the sorceress' flames. Despite his apparent physical agony, he knew this battle was still raging, so he made himself stand.

Veran saw this out of the corner of her eye and turned her attention back to him, a dark, bloodthirsty grin claiming her face. She was winning now and she knew it, especially upon seeing the hero's bloodstained chest. But she also knew that simply killing him wouldn't be enough. She had to destroy his spirit, otherwise it would return to torment her in ages to come. And, fortunately for her, the sorceress knew exactly how to do it.

With slow, dramatic steps, Veran moved towards the hero, her rapier ablaze with fire. Link stood holding on tightly to his sword, ready to oppose her, only occasionally glancing at the princess as she recovered from the fiery blast. All the while, Navi floated anxiously near Link, terrified of what could happen next. She wasn't about to stand by and let Veran inflict more merciless violence upon the hero and so, gathering up all her nerve and courage, the fairy rushed towards the sorceress before Link could even try to stop her. Veran hardly even saw the tiny flash of blue before Navi reached her and began tugging hard on her long bang of red hair, trying anything she could to distract her. "Leave him alone!" the fairy squealed. Much to her dismay though, the sorceress was unphased by her brave attempts.

"You insignificant little insect!" Veran scoffed at her. Lighting her free hand with fire, she hit the small fairy hard with the backside of her hand. Navi cried out in pain from the burn as she was thrown back in Zelda's direction. The princess, who was still gathering her bearings, gasped in surprise when the injured and unconscious fairy landed on the ground near her and immediately, she glanced over at Link. The hero's extreme anger and hatred for the sorceress was apparent from his intense glare, which was full of so much hostility that it scared Zelda, even though it was not directed at her. Even Veran, who was normally never taken aback by anything, seemed to be momentarily startled by it, but returned his scowl nonetheless as she rushed for him with her flaming blade.

Link countered her advance by blocking it with his shield. Veran pressed her rapier hard against it, pushing the hero back against the wall. Her eyes aglow with violence, the sorceress leaned into the struggling hero's face with a wicked grin. "Well, isn't this familiar?" She taunted him cruelly. "If I remember correctly, you were in this exact same spot the first time we fought, hero. What a shame it was that you didn't have that powerful mask of yours back then. Perhaps if you had, then all of this could have been avoided…"

Link did not respond to her, but instead held fast onto his shield, though his strength was beginning to waver. At the same time, Zelda overheard Veran's heartless words to the hero and bit her lip nervously, knowing that the sorceress was trying her best to tempt him into putting the Fierce Deity's Mask on. Her methods were deceptive and unfair, especially considering the fact that Link was already injured. And so, replacing her fear with righteous fury, Zelda formed a light arrow and quickly sent it flying towards Veran, if only for the sake of distracting her so Link could break free from her hold. However, despite her back being turned to the princess, the sorceress could sense that the projectile was coming and quickly cast a magical barrier, while still pressing her sword down on the hero's shield. The barrier formed within the center of the chamber, dispelling Zelda's arrow upon contact and separating the princess from Veran and Link. Zelda's eyes widened when she saw it and immediately she panicked, running forward to the barrier and pounding her fists against it in an attempt to break it. Veran grinned back at her victoriously, glad that the princess would not be an interference in her plans. After all, she would deal with her soon enough.

"Link!" Zelda shouted as she continued to beat on the barrier, hoping that he could at least hear her. But as she looked to him, still barely holding onto his shield against Veran, she noticed that he didn't even glance in her direction. She tried again, this time crying even louder for him but he still took no notice of her whatsoever. It was as though he couldn't even see her at all, and it was then that Zelda surmised that Veran's barrier must have had a magic effect that blocked her from his vision, even though she could still see him just fine. She stopped beating on the barrier upon the awful realization, knowing that there was nothing she could do to help him now.

Meanwhile, Veran saw no need to keep the hero pinned against the wall any longer. With a quick snap of her fingers, she vanished in a burst of violet flame, letting Link finally fall to his knees from sheer exhaustion and the lingering pain in his chest. But she gave him almost no time to recover. Less than a second after she disappeared, she materialized directly behind him, and before he even knew that she was there, the sorceress tore her sword across his back slowly, filling him with unbearable agony. The hero cried out in anguish and when Zelda heard him, she called out to him desperately, even though it was a futile attempt. Veran, on the other hand, heard the princess' cries and simply smiled darkly at her, savoring every vile minute of this torture. She glanced down at the hero, languishing in pain at her feet and decided to simply watch as he weakly rose to stand against her.

"You still think you can win this on your own?" she asked him with a wicked smile. "Without that mask, you're nothing. You might as well just put it on, hero. You know you'll both die without it."

Link glared back hatefully at the sorceress, not willing to fall into her trap. He knew perfectly well that it would be to her advantage for him to put the Fierce Deity's Mask on. If he did, then she'd be able to use him as a tool to kill Zelda, just like in the princess' dream. "No," he said, his voice almost shaking with unbridled rage and fearlessness. "I won't."

Veran glared daggers at him, her eye alight with malevolence. "Very well then," she hissed diabolically. "You have just sealed your fate and hers."

Without wasting another moment, the sorceress held her blood-stained blade aloft as a dark violet flame formed around it. Knowing that he only had a moment in which to act, Link rushed forward, hoping to get in at least one good blow. Veran took notice of this however and as soon as he reached her, she swung her fiery blade down upon his sword with so much force that the Master Sword was knocked completely out of the hero's hands and sent flying back several feet behind him, where it lodged itself into the ground. Taking advantage of the fact that he was unarmed, she thrust the tip of her sword into his left shoulder blade and ran it down the length of his arm. Zelda gasped in horror as Link cried out in extreme torment. But much to the hero's misfortune, Veran was nowhere closed to finished yet. Slipping the tip of her sword out of his now-useless arm, she ran its blazing edge into his left side, cutting deep into his flesh.

Upon hearing Link's heart-wrenching cry of pain, Zelda was moved to tears of both pity and fury. She had never been so enraged before in her life. And her extreme anger only grew when she saw Veran plunge her blade deep into the hero's right leg, causing him to collapse to his knees in anguish. The princess could not simply stand by and watch this senseless violence any longer and so, she took in a deep breath and began to focus all of her might into crafting a light arrow. She prayed to both the goddesses and her ancestor Hylia for their power and aid in this task, hoping that her plan would work before it was too late.

At the same time, Veran stood menacingly over Link, who was on his hands and knees simply trying to cope with the immense pain, but failing. He knew that if he were to take one more serious blow, it would no doubt kill him. He was exhausted, gravely injured and unable to fight back. The only upside to all of this was that Zelda had not been seriously hurt. Or at least not yet.

Extinguishing the fire from her sword, Veran placed the tip of her sword under Link's chin and lifted his head, forcing him to look up at her. "Hm," she said coldly. "What a pity. It's a shame that I have to kill you, hero. I always did find you to be quite handsome… especially when you're bleeding…" The sorceress lifted her head in triumph and simply laughed maliciously, knowing that she had won this battle. But, due to her perceptions of victory, she did not see the princess standing behind the barrier, with her fully powered light arrow ready to fly. And, when Zelda finally loosed the sacred arrow, it shattered Veran's barrier in a shower of light and kept flying straight onto the sorceress at an incredible speed. As the princess had hoped, the arrow struck Veran directly in her back, causing her to screech out in intense pain and leaving a large burn from its holy light. Enraged, she slipped her sword away from the hero, leaving a small cut on his chin as she turned to face Zelda, fires of hatred blazing in her eyes. The princess returned her fierce look with one of her own, letting all of her scorn for the sorceress show simply through her expression as she stood with another arrow ready to fly. But as the two of them stared each other down hatefully, Veran suddenly came up with perhaps her most sinister plan yet.

Glancing back to the suffering hero behind her, the sorceress grinned wickedly. "Hero," she said coyly to him. "Do you remember what I said to you long ago about how I do whatever it takes to get what I want?"

Link simply looked up at her in confusion, his mind too numbed by the pain to understand what she was talking about. Veran sighed in exasperation. "Fine," she said pointedly. "It matters little. You'll see what I mean right now…"

As Veran was speaking to Link, Zelda let her light arrow loose, but the sorceress quickly used her magic to dispel it. Grinning darkly, she sent a multitude violet bursts of flame towards the princess, several of which hit her directly and sent her flying backwards. She hit the wall hard, crying out in pain upon the harsh impact. But before she could even pick herself up from the ground, Veran was already upon her, not even giving her a chance to react. Zelda only saw Veran's blade for a second before it was plunged into her side roughly. The princess screamed in extreme anguish and the moment Link heard it, his heart and mind began to race. He desperately tried to pull himself to his feet so he could simply get to her, but his dire injuries prevented him from even moving due to the intense pain. All he could do was helplessly watch in horror and shame as the sorceress inflicted even more agony upon the woman he loved.

Zelda could not help but let loose a few tears from the severe, burning pain in her side. She clutched it to try and quell the heavy flow of blood but was only able to do so for a second before Veran came in for another attack. This time, the sorceress ripped off the princess' cloak roughly as she laid suffering at her feet and tossed it aside with little consequence. From there, Veran picked Zelda up off the ground by her long hair, which had come loose from its braid quite some time ago. The princess struggled against her firm hold as the sorceress held her up as if she were a trophy, simply to mock the hero.

"What an honor it is for me…" she said with contempt for Zelda. "To be able to shed the blood of the goddess… your _highness_…" As soon as she had said this, Veran used her sharp sword to sever the princess' hair in one swing. Zelda's once long, beautiful, golden locks fell to the ground unceremoniously, leaving her with only short, tattered ends. As the princess began to fall out of the sorceress' grasp, Veran caught her by her neck and held her up in the air tightly, cutting off her air and strangling her. Zelda tried to cry out for help as she desperately struggled to breath and free herself, but couldn't even manage to do that under Veran's oppressive hold.

"Zelda!" Link cried out, ignoring the rippling pain for a moment. "Let her go!" he shouted at Veran, who simply continued to smirk mercilessly at him.

"If you want her so badly, why don't you come over here and get her yourself?" Veran teased him.

The hero didn't answer immediately, but simply glared at her for a moment or two before hanging his head in shame. "I can't…" he muttered, fighting back tears.

"What was that?" the sorceress asked casually. "Speak up, boy. I can't hear you."

Link looked up at her hatefully, watching painfully as Zelda gradually stopped struggling as she fell into unconsciousness, a sign that she was dying from lack of oxygen. And once again he was reminded of the heartbreaking fact that he could do absolutely nothing. He couldn't defeat Veran, he couldn't free Hyrule from her clutches, he couldn't fulfill his promise to Malon, and worst of all, he couldn't save Zelda. "I can't!" he shouted angrily and despondently, hot tears of frustration and pain streaming down his cheeks. He had failed and it was because of him that everything would fall under Veran's control. He had lost and she had won. This was the end.

Knowing she was only a step away from getting what she desired, Veran carelessly tossed the princess' body his way so that she landed only a few feet in front of him. Link gazed at Zelda in grief, knowing that even though she certainly must have been dead, and despite her severed hair and ugly wounds, she was still so beautiful.

"Do you know what I hate most about you, hero?" Veran jeered at him as she slowly moved to stand beside him. "That persistent little spirit of yours. The fact that you can live through things that would destroy others emotionally completely unscarred. But even so, everyone has a breaking point…" Her wicked grin deepened as she leaned down to whisper her final statement in his ear. "And…I believe you've just reached yours…"

The sorceress backed moved away from him unceremoniously as she watched his facial expression change from pained and angry to blank and unreadable. She was absolutely right and Link knew it. Veran had done the one thing that could ever possibly drive the hero over the edge: she had murdered Zelda right in front of him. Ever since he had met the princess, Link knew that he had a special connection with her. An internal instinct that drove him to stand by her side and protect her. And, as the two of them grew up together and bonded more and more, that connection gradually turned into love, unlike anything the hero had ever felt for anything or anyone. Simply seeing her happy would put a smile on his face and watching her cry would make him want to do anything he could to make the tears stop. It was true that they were bound by their destinies, but they were also bound by the connection of their mutual love. And all at once, Veran had severed that connection. Zelda was gone, and Link had never felt more alone. Simply looking at her lifeless body made him feel empty on the inside, as if he had no purpose to live any more. He was numb to all emotions except for pain, but even that seemed dull and hollow now. Veran had finally succeeded. She had finally broken him.

As Link stared at the princess' unmoving body, Veran slowly moved to stand behind him, a cold grin marking her success. In heavy silence, she gently placed her hands on his shoulders, summoning the dark, corrupting power granted to her by Majora. The effects on the hero were almost immediate: a sharp chill ran down his spine as multiple, unseen voices began to whisper to him, the loudest of which being Veran's. Nonetheless, all of the voices seemed to be telling him the same thing, only in different ways: to put the Fierce Deity's Mask on. Some told him that the princess was already dead so he had no need to keep stalling, others said that it was the only way he could possibly help Hyrule now, while still others said that he was going to lose his life either way. And as haunting as the voices were, they seemed to comfort him somehow as they softly coaxed him to stop fighting. To end his struggle and fall into the peace that darkness could give him. And, the more they tempted him, the more he wanted to listen to their every word.

Veran's cruel smile deepened as she watched Link tentatively take the Fierce Deity's Mask out and hold it in his hands. He sat there for a moment, simply trying to decide if he was really going through with this or not. He was already broken beyond repair, both physically and mentally. His mind was in a distant haze and time seemed to stand still as Veran leaned down to his level, her grip on his shoulders tightening gradually. "Go on, Link…" she whispered in false consolation. "Do it. You have struggled enough... It's all over now…"

The hero let her calm words sink in as he sat there. The sorceress was absolutely correct. He had struggled for so long now, for as long as he could remember and it seemed as though no matter how hard he fought, it would never end. And yet all his suffering could be over simply by putting on that mask. And so, keeping his gaze locked solely on the princess, the woman who had been the love of his life, who lay bloodstained and broken before him, he finally put the soul corrupting mask on for what he knew would be the last time.

The Sorceress of Shadows lifted her head and laughed triumphantly, knowing that she had won at last. Despite the blinding light that surrounded Link as he transformed, she dug her fingers into his shoulders and called forth all of her dark powers to take control of him. Because his spirit was broken, there was nothing to protect him from her malevolent influence this time and so, she corrupted him easily, enslaving him to her evil will in a matter of seconds. As Veran took full control of him and the deadly power that the Fierce Deity's Mask was granting him, she finally relinquished her grip on him and backed away. As the hero's transformation came to a close, a burst of green flame appeared above Veran's outstretched palm, symbolizing her newfound dominion over him. Her bloodthirsty eyes shined with excitement over how much destruction she could cause with the legendary Fierce Deity at her command. And what made it all the more satisfying was the fact that she had singlehandedly destroyed the spirit of the hero. She had broken the unbreakable.

As the light faded from the fully-transformed hero rose to his feet, his former injuries completely gone thanks to the mask's power, and turned to face the sorceress. Veran smirked victoriously as she nodded silently to him, watching with pleasure as he kneeled before her and lowered his head. "That's right, _hero_," she said twistedly. "Bow to your mistress. For now, you are finally mine…"

* * *

_Zelda paced around her courtyard in clear frustration. The words of the nobles still rung clearly in her head, much to her aggravation and dismay. _

"_Princess," one of them had said to her in their most recent royal council meeting. "With all due respect, we simply cannot allow you to see that peasant boy any more. You are getting older and soon you will be expected to choose a suitor of royal standing. We members of the court find such behavior to be quite inappropriate for a young lady of your position." _

_Zelda's cheeks had grown hot in anger as the nobleman said this and she immediately countered his argument. "Might I just say that you are taking our relationship out of context? Link and I are simply friends. This has nothing to do with any matters of my courting."_

"_But it has everything to do with your reputation," another councilman claimed. "What would the people think if they knew that you regularly ran around the kingdom with some peasant boy from the forest with no supervision?"_

_The princess gave him a harsh look, clenching her fists at her sides in annoyance. She wished that they would stop referring to Link as a mere "peasant". They had no idea about how he had saved Hyrule in not one, but two time periods. If it was not for him, then the group of arrogant old men certainly would not be living the high, privileged lives they currently led. But Zelda had a feeling that if she tried to tell them, they wouldn't believe a word she said. _

_The meeting had ended with Zelda storming out and Impa quickly coming to console her, followed by the princess retreating to her garden to silently fume, as so many council meetings seemed to end recently. No matter what the topic of discussion was, the nobles would always find a way to bring it back to condemning the princess for her interaction with the hero. And she despised it. It was at times like this that she completely scorned her position and wished that she was free from her royal burdens. Free to go wherever the wind took her and to do whatever she pleased whenever she pleased. And most of all, free to be with whomever she pleased…_

"_Hey Zelda," Link broke her train of thought as he arrived in the courtyard. "Come on, let's go! We're still going to Zora's Domain today, right?"_

_Zelda glanced over at him and smiled immediately, realizing that even if she couldn't have complete freedom, she could have the next best thing. "Yeah," she said, letting her frustration drift away as she embraced her temporary, yet blissful freedom._

* * *

**WOW! This chapter was INTENSE, was it not?! So yeah, I left you guys on yet ANOTHER cliffhanger (sorry), and this one's a bit of a downer, huh? But you have no idea how much of an emotional experience this was to write. The action, the drama, the emotions... it's drained me and it kept me up pretty much all last night :/ Anyway, before I go, I want to give you guys a little preview of the next few chapters by giving you the chapter tittles in advanced to get you guys thinking about the plot. So...******

Ch. 33-Fallen Hero  


**Ch. 34-Tales of the Goddesses**

**Ch. 35-Memories of a Hero**

**Ch. 36-Dawn of a New Day**

**Ch. 37-Epilouge: Wisdom and Courage**

**Ch. 38-Afterword and Preview Chapter for Blood and Spirit**

**So yeah, that's basically the rundown... got you all curious now, huh? hahaha. so anyway PLEASE PEOPLE LEAVE A REVIEW! I REALLY want to know what you guys thought of this chapter! so again I say: REVIEW! Until next time!**


	34. Fallen Hero

Chapter 33

As Veran reveled in her victory over the corrupted hero, all of Hyrule felt the immediate effects of her triumph. With the kingdom's last two lights of hope finally extinguished, the sorceress covered the land in an immense pall of shadows and spread catastrophe far and wide. The earth trembled and split open throughout Hyrule and from the fissures, creatures of darkness crawled forth to torment and slaughter the people. Every province of the land seemed to face destruction all at once: Death Mountain erupted, covering its surrounding area in molten lava. Zora's Domain and Lake Hylia both flooded over, as did many parts of Hyrule Field near them. Kokiri Forest burst into flames, threatening to destroy all life there. A massive sandstorm covered Gerudo Desert, burying any sign of civilization in the thick dust. The terrified and painful screams of all people of all races throughout Hyrule could be heard echoing across the suffering land as they cried out to the goddess, desperately asking them for salvation from this chaos. Veran heard their collective cries of anguish from her place within the Temple of Time and laughed mercilessly, knowing that no matter how hard they prayed, there would be no one who could possibly save them now.

However, as the sorceress callously celebrated, she failed to notice the tiny creature stirring several feet behind her. Despite the painful burns that she had received from Veran knocking her aside, Navi slowly sat up as she regained consciousness, disoriented from the attack and weak from the immense dark energy around her. With her wings too limp to even lift off the ground, the fairy stood and glanced around, almost immediately catching sight of Veran, or more importantly, the transformed hero who bowed submissively before her. Navi's eyes widened and she took in a sharp, fearful gasp but she held her tongue from calling out his name, which was not easy for her to do. "Oh no..." she whispered miserably to herself as she realized that Veran had taken control over him. "Link, what have you done?" The fairy scolded herself shamefully for not being there for him when he needed her most and she was almost certain that was part of the reason why he had put on the Fierce Deity's Mask. And now, not only was Link gone, but Veran had all of that terrifying power at her command.

"Oh wait!" Navi said quietly, suddenly remembering something important. "What about Princess Zelda?" As she said this, the fairy glanced to her right and got her answer. For lying only a few feet away from her, was the princess' unmoving, bloodied form, which Veran had sent flying back towards the wall upon seeing that Zelda was no longer of use to her. Navi gasped in surprise as she worked up the energy to use her wings to lift off the ground and flitter over to her. "What happened?" she said to herself as she looked over the princess' wounds. It was then that it suddenly became clear to her: Link must have put on the mask only because he thought Zelda was dead. Without her, he'd really have no reason not to. After all, she had been the reason why he fought so hard in the first place. Veran most likely saw his devoted love to the princess as his weakness and it was because of that supposed weakness that Veran had been able to take control of him.

"Oh Link… " Navi shook her head sadly as she looked to her beloved companion. "Zelda's not dead… " It was true; the princess was extremely close to death, but she was not quite there yet. Navi had no idea if Veran knew this or not, but she knew for a fact that Link had not before he put the mask on. The sorceress had manipulated his feelings in such a cruel way that Navi could not let the matter lie still. She had to do something about this, but what could a small, weak fairy possibly do at a moment like this?

She bit her lip anxiously as she looked between Link and Zelda. It just wasn't fair. After all the hero and the princess had done for the kingdom, all the sacrifices of their safety and happiness that they had made, this is what was to ultimately become of them? Was Zelda to die a slow, painful and tragic death while Veran used Link as a mere tool to act out her destructive desires? Perhaps more than anyone else in the world, the two of them deserved so much more than this. They deserved a peaceful future and a happy life together. Navi knew this and pitied both of them greatly. But as she was pondering this, she also came to a realization. One that could very well save the hero and the princess.

Remembering back to the last time Link had worn the Fierce Deity's Mask, Navi recalled that there had only been one thing that had been able to bring him back from the mask's corruption: Zelda herself. She wasn't entirely sure if it would work again a second time, but perhaps, at this crucial moment, the princess could bring him back again. It was the only thing the fairy could think of and for her, however small a chance that it could work was enough. All she needed was a way to heal Zelda's dire wounds and fortunately, Navi knew of one possible way to do it.

Though it was not a well known fact, in dire circumstances guardian fairies could perform the function of a healing fairy and bring people back from the brink of death. But it came at a cost. Guardian fairies were only able to heal someone once; after that, their life would end and they would vanish away into nothingness. Navi, like all fairies, knew this fact, and also knew that if she were to go through with this she would forfeit her life. But if the princess was the only one left who could possibly save Hyrule wouldn't that make such a sacrifice worthwhile? And even more importantly for Navi personally was Link. Navi had still been a rather young and inexperienced fairy when the Great Deku Tree tasked her with watching over the boy who would grow up to become the Hero of Time. Unlike many of her fairy peers, she had never had a Kokiri charge before, which made Link all the more special to her. The Deku Tree had told Navi before his passing that it was her destiny to guide and support the young hero through his travels, since she had been born with the miraculous ability to survive outside of the forest much longer than usual fairies. She had accepted her duty without hesitation and had faithfully aided Link during his initial journey, watching as he grew into a fine hero. She had remained constantly by his side, even when he was sealed away inside of the Sacred Realm for seven years. And, she took her necessary leave only when his perilous journey was over and when she reunited with him once more, she resolved to stay by his side for good this time. Her sole duty was to help Link in any way she could and now, as the hero faced the ultimate destruction of his own soul, Navi intended to carry out that duty to the letter.

With her decision made, Navi closed her eyes and summoned her store of emergency healing magic. Though she was significantly weakened from the intense evil energy within the chamber, the fairy managed to flitter high into the air as the coloring of her glow slowly changed from blue to bright pink. As her transformation from a guardian to a healing fairy came to a close, she glanced down at the injured princess, praying and hoping that she wasn't about to heal Zelda just so she could die again. Chasing away any final reservations, Navi flew in close to the princess and circled her, letting her healing magic fall over her wounds, closing them and restoring her vital signs. As her magic ran out, the fairy's wings began to weaken, until she delicately landed on the ground not too far away from Zelda. Navi's already waning strength gave way to extreme and sudden exhaustion. She collapsed to the ground slowly, her breathing ragged and heavy. Her vision began to dim but fortunately she was able to see the fruits of her selfless sacrifice at the very last second. Zelda began to slowly stir as the life faded out of the fairy, who smiled and whispered her final request to the princess, though she doubted she would be able to hear it. "Princess… " she said weakly, briefly glancing over at the hero with both sadness and hope. "Please… Save Link… "

With her final words relayed, Navi vanished in a small burst of light, as was the fate of all fairies when their lives ended. Veran, who had been silently planning her advance on the Sacred Realm, briefly glanced back as the light faded, but thought little of it, which was fortunate as she did not take notice of Zelda's slight movements. With a soft groan, the princess opened her eyes and took in a deep, natural breath. For a brief moment, she stared up at the temple's ceiling in confusion, until the memories of what had happened the last time she had been conscious returned to her. Gingerly sitting up, she glanced down at her side, which should have been punctured and bleeding, but was instead only bearing a thick, yet painless scar. Likewise, her windpipe was not crushed as it should have been from being suffocated, giving her the impression that something or someone had healed her, though she had no idea what could have done it.

Placing her wonderings aside, Zelda slowly rose to her feet and looked around the chamber as she gathered her bearings. But when she caught sight of the sorceress and her new "servant", she barely managed to suppress a scream of shock and terror. The princess went numb with fear as she slowly backed into the nearest wall of the chamber. Tears of immense sorrow and despair began to fall from her eyes almost immediately as she looked upon her beloved hero, transformed into the frightful Fierce Deity once more. She could barely stand the sight, especially when she realized that he was now under Veran's control, just as he had been in her dream. Zelda didn't even bother to care about how the sorceress deceived Link into putting the mask on; instead, she simply looked away in grief, leaning against the wall for support. Simply put, she was too late. Veran had gotten her way yet again, only now the consequences were far too great.

Time seemed to stand still as Zelda stood there, simply trying to cope with what had happened. Link was gone; she was almost certain of that and what made matters worse was that Veran could so easily use him against her now. There was no escape from the sealed stone chamber and the sorceress would take notice of the princess eventually. There was little chance that Zelda would be able to take Veran on by herself; she was nowhere near as strong as Link was and she was only armed with the Bow of Light, which could only damage the sorceress at the most, not kill her. Her chances seemed so very slim and her heart was broken beyond repair over the fact that she had lost Link, her loyal hero, best friend and true love. But as she was mourning this loss,Zelda remembered something that he had told her not too long ago, to give her hope when all seemed lost, as it did now. It could give her something to live for if she ever had to be without him and it reminded her of her reason for fighting in the first place:_ "When all this is over, Hyrule will be free again. You and the people can rebuild it. You can fix everything that Veran's destroyed." _Zelda mulled over these bittersweet, yet hopeful words and realized that even though the hero she loved was no more, she still had one thing left: Hyrule itself. The land was revenged by Veran's destruction, but it could certainly be rebuilt and rise up from the ashes of its oppression. The princess loved Hyrule and its people dearly and she knew that Link had too. He would have wanted her to stand to protect the kingdom in his place instead of crying over him. He would have wanted her to go on with her life and find happiness and a future somehow. And, while Zelda lamented over the fact that it was too late to help him, she could still avenge both the hero and the kingdom by defeating the one who had brought them all so much pain.

The princess's tears began to fade into righteous fury as she slowly clenched her hands into fists. Veran would not win this time. Her wicked reign would not last for centuries to come. Hyrule would not fall into her hands forever. Even if the people's cries to the goddesses were in vain, they would find deliverance from another place. Zelda silently vowed to herself, to her people and to Link that she would fight with every fiber of her being, until either she or Veran fell. And so, looking towards the sorceress' turned back with determination and resolve, the princess pushed all of her fear away as she reclaimed her fallen bow and rose to face her foe.

As Zelda began to prepare a light arrow, Veran finalized the details of her attack on the Sacred Realm and the goddesses themselves. With the Deity still bowing before her, the sorceress lifted her free hand, where the mark of the Triforce glittered, ready to grant another one of her maniacal wishes. Veran smirked wickedly as she uttered her most diabolical desire yet: "O ancient power of the Triforce!" she said triumphantly. "Listen to my wish! I command you to grant me access to the land of the goddesses, the Sacred-" Though she was only a word away, Veran was unable to finish her wish as her own painful scream cut her off. Something stuck her exposed back with a great amount of force and burned her severely with its pure light. She threw her head back and froze up in agony, having never been pierced by so much sacred power at once. But as she realized what was happening, her shriek of pain quickly turned into one of rage. When the immediate sting had faded away, Veran clenched both fists at her side and slowly turned her head to glare behind her, at the princess who already had another arrow knocked and ready to fly.  
The sorceress' eyes were glowing with fires of hatred as she fully turned towards Zelda. "Impossible!" Veran shouted in raw fury. "You still live?! I thought I-"

"You thought what?" Zelda interrupted her sharply. "That you had killed me? That Hyrule was yours for the taking? That you had won? Well you thought wrong. The goddesses will not allow your senseless tyranny to continue and neither will I. Stand down, Veran. And let him go free," she said firmly, referring to Link. "It's over."

Veran's cruel scowl quickly turned into a wicked smirk upon hearing this. "I agree, princess… " she said calmly. "It is certainly over. But I will not stand down, certainly not now that I have your beloved hero in my grip… " Her malicious grin deep deepening, the sorceress stepped out of the way so Zelda could watch as she commanded Link to rise to his feet. The princess' grip on her bow tensed up and her breath caught, but other than that, she showed no blatant sign of nervousness. "Are you upset, princess? Scared? Terrified? Heartbroken over the fact that every last trace of who your hero used to be is gone? Bitter that he belongs to me now? Or perhaps,you're miserable because there is nothing you can do about any of it?"

As Veran spoke her heartless words, Zelda forced herself to lock eyes with the sorceress instead of stealing even a glance at Link. She knew that Veran was simply trying to unnerve her with her hateful teasing. But she could not give into her emotions now. To do that would be exactly what her enemy wanted. She had to be strong, for Hyrule and for herself. So instead of letting her pressing tears fall, Zelda simply glared at Veran and retorted back angrily. "All you seek is power, Veran," she said, still aiming her bow at the sorceress. "You steal raw power to use as your own and then reap the harvest of the destruction you sow with it. You say that you sought to avenge your fallen people, but in reality all you want is to satisfy your own bloodlust. You claim to be the queen of shadows, but you are really just a monster that crawled forth from them!"

Veran glowered mercilessly at the princess while she made her bold claims. "A monster, you say?" she hissed, seething with rage. "Clearly you are confused, princess. Allow me to show you who the real monster is now… " As she spoke, the sorceress vanished in a burst of violet flame and reappeared seconds later behind Link. "It is none other than your precious 'hero', or rather, my loyal Deity, who was willing to give up his very soul just to save you. Whose 'unbreakable' spirit was so easy to break that I barely had to do anything at all. And do you know why? Because he was weak, just as you are. Because he thought that he would actually have a chance of keeping you and this kingdom alive. What good would throwing his life and humanity away for such worthless causes do any of you? Your very destruction, that's what. For his 'noble' deed of blind heroism is what will ultimately be your downfall… How ironic it is that your hero is about to do the exact opposite of what he set out to do in the first place… " Veran's already malicious smile deepened as she moved to stand beside the hero, lighting the green flame above her palm once more. "My humble servant… " she said to the ever-silent, stoic Deity. "By the powers of darkness, I command you to slaughter Princess Zelda!" The sorceress laughed evilly as she pointed to the princess, making the former hero's target clear. And without hesitation, he began to slowly move towards her with his double-helix blade drawn and ready to strike.

Zelda's heart began to race the moment the command left Veran's lips. She had figured that the sorceress had intended to use this tactic from the beginning, ever since she fully understood the meaning of her dream but it seemed that now, no matter what the princess could hope to do about it, her frightful vision was about to come true. Grasping her bow tightly, Zelda backed into the nearest wall to try to forestall the inevitable. She continued to glance between both the sorceress and the Deity, trying to think of any way she could stop this. Without thinking, she let a light arrow loose at Veran in a desperate attempt to diminish her control over Link. However, the sorceress was quick to dispel the projectile, showing the princess that landing a direct hit on Veran any time in the next few critical moments would be impossible. Biting her lip nervously, Zelda accidentally locked her gaze on the Deity and froze up with both fear and grief. She didn't want to believe this was truly happening and yet it was, as she was reminded with each slow, tension-filled step her hero took towards her. With her back against the wall and no way out, the princess panicked and without thinking, raised her bow once more and drew an arrow back only this time, instead of aiming it at Veran, she instead pointed it right at the approaching hero instead. Zelda once again froze as she realized just who she was aiming at, but she kept her sight on her original target nonetheless.

Upon seeing the princess taking aim at Link, Veran's victorious grin changed to one of intrigue. "Oh… How fascinating!" she said with genuine interest. Wanting to enjoy this moment for all it was worth, she quelled her controlling green flame momentarily to halt the hero's advance, stopping him only a few feet away from Zelda. "Tell me princess, do you actually intend to shoot that arrow at your own hero? The same hero whom you pledged your love to? The hero who reduced himself to this to try and save your kingdom? And after all he's done for you, you would be willing to so easily harm him with your so-called 'sacred arrows'. How very heartless of you, Zelda… "

Zelda tried her best to ignore Veran and her lies as she continued to aim her bow at the Deity. But she couldn't help but feel that the sorceress was correct in a way. After all, she had loved Link and she still loved him with all her heart. It was true that she was terrified for her life and knew that if she died, there would be no one left to help Hyrule, but all the same she just couldn't bring herself to actually attack her hero. Unable to hold her tears back any longer, Zelda let them fall as she hesitantly dropped her bow to the ground. She kept her gaze locked onto the Deity, shaking her head with remorse.

A smug grin came across Veran's face as she continued to silently watch the princess, knowing that she had won so easily. Resigned to her tragic fate, Zelda took in a deep, somewhat nervous breath as she slowly reached her hand up to place it against the hero's cheek. "Link… " she choked tearfully. "I… I… l-love… " She tried as hard as she could to finish her final statement to him, but she was too overcome with grief to even utter the last word of it. She gazed into his blank, soulless, pure white eyes and was reminded once again that the Link she knew and loved was gone, replaced by a fearsome warrior who was now under the control of their greatest enemy. Looking down in despair, the princess let her hand fall to her side as she prepared herself for the inevitable.

Veran's cold laughter resounded throughout the temple when she saw Zelda's surrender. For once, the sorceress was silent as she conjured the controlling flame above her hand once more, commanding the Deity to finish the princess off. Zelda hesitantly looked up to watch as Link drew his deadly blade back, preparing to strike her down. And, she did not cry. She did not scream. She did not move. Instead she took in a slated breath and held her head high, wanting to die with some shred of her former dignity. She shut her eyes tightly and clenched her fists at her sides, clearing her mind of all thoughts so she could maintain her state of calm resignation. The princess did not see her hero as he raised his sword high into the air and brought it down in a rush of cold air.

But it never hit her. The twisted metal blade stopped mere inches away from her forehead and in that moment, time seemed to come to a halt. Veran took notice of her servant's hesitation and her eyes widened in rage and surprise as the green flame above her palm suddenly went out without warning. Zelda dubiously opened her eyes to see the tip of the sword hanging right above her head and she stared at with fear, confusion and wonder. But what the hero did next, neither one of them could have anticipated.

Before Veran could even react, Link swung his sword swiftly away from Zelda and right at the sorceress, leaving a large gash in her side. Veran screamed in absolute shock and great agony, collapsing to her knees from the intense pain. The Deity rushed for her once more almost immediately, but the sorceress was quick to form a strong barrier around herself so she could recover, though the hero pounded on it continuously with his sword.

All the while, Zelda stood watching the sudden turn of events with wide eyes. Her mind was numb with sheer awe at what just happened as she tried to make sense of it all. Somehow, someway, Link had broken free from Veran's hold over him. Contrary to what the sorceress had claimed, she had not broken him. Though she had gotten him to put the Fierce Deity's mask on, she had not been able to tighten her reigns of wickedness around his heroic spirit. And as Zelda realized this, she could not help but smile in slight relief. If this was true, then perhaps the mask hadn't corrupted Link's soul yet either. There was a chance, however small, that when this was all over, he would be able to take it off in the end and return to normal. The very thought made the princess' heart leap with newfound hope and vigor. Perhaps they could have that impossible, happy future that they had both dreamed of after all…

What made things even better was that even Veran could not trump the might of the Fierce Deity. Even all of her dark powers, including those granted to her by the Triforce, could not outmatch his now-godlike strength. Finally, it seemed as though the princess and the hero could triumph over their vicious adversary. For once, things didn't seem entirely hopeless. However at this point, the battle could go either way and as Zelda gathered her wits about her and reclaimed her fallen bow once more, she prayed to the goddesses once again that it would end in their favor.

Without a second thought, the princess sent a light arrow towards Veran's barrier, shattering it upon contact. With her protection gone, the sorceress, who was still confused herself as to how the Deity freed himself from her control, lifted herself high into the air, out of his reach since she was still injured from the last attack. She glared down at both the princess and the hero with more hatred that she had ever shown before. She didn't even bother to ask the obvious questions that were pressing her at the moment; instead, she clenched her fists at her sides and shouted at them with animosity.

"You FOOLS!" she screamed with rage. "This… changes NOTHING! Now both of you shall fall to my power... The power of the QUEEN of Shadows!" Without another word, Veran formed a large, deadly looking blade out of the darkness and pointed it down towards both of them as she floated high above their heads. A large burst of flame rushed forth from the tip of her sword, racing towards the two of them at a lightning speed. Before Zelda could even react to it, Link leapt in front of her and swung his own blade, sending the deadly blast flying right back at its creator. Veran came crashing to the ground the moment it struck her, crying out in agony.

Taking full advantage of the sorceress' newfound venerability, the Deity raced towards her, his sword poised to attack, with the princess quickly following behind him, a light arrow already notched on her bowstring. Veran saw their approach and quickly scrambled to her feet, drawing her blade back as well. The two swords clashed with so much force and raw power, that the collision created a large explosion that rocked the ground of the chamber. Zelda was sent flying back by it towards the northern wall of the room and was unable to see who had won the attack due to the bright flash of light. No more than a second after she landed near the wall, the hero's double-helix blade landed only a few inches away from her and wedged itself deep into the ground. The princess gasped in fear and surprise, but quickly turned her attention back to the ongoing battle. Looking towards the center of the chamber, she saw that Veran had indeed knocked the large blade out of the Deity's iron grip somehow, no doubt using the powers of the Triforce to give herself an unfair advantage. The sorceress grinned vengefully when she saw that the hero was unarmed and unable to fight back any more. Zelda rose to her feet and watched with wide eyes as Veran took a swing with at him with her own dark blade. The force of her attack was strong enough to knock the Deity to the ground, but thanks to his thick armor, he sustained no injuries.

Zelda's mind began to race for a plan as she watched Veran go in for another attack, which Link luckily dodged. She knew that if the hero didn't have a weapon, this intense battle would never end and remain at a stalemate forever. Zelda knew that Link needed his weapon back and soon, but he was currently held up by Veran. And so, the princess would just have to help him herself. She glanced over at the double-helix blade beside her and bit her lip. She knew just by looking at it that she wouldn't even be able to lift such a large and heavy sword out of the ground to toss it to him. As she came to this realization, she looked around the chamber once more and found the Master Sword still wedged into the ground from Veran's earlier attacks, lodged only a few feet away from her. Zelda knew that the blade of evil's bane would be much more manageable for her to lift than the Fierce Deity's Sword and, remembering what the sages had said, it would be able to finish the sorceress off just as effectively, if not more so. And so, she rushed towards the sword and quickly grasped its hilt with both hands. However, the moment she did so, her hands began to burn up as though they were on fire, causing her to cry out in anguish and let go of the hilt almost immediately. Gingerly stroking her sore hands, Zelda stared at the blade with confusion for a moment before realizing what just happened. The Master Sword could only be wielded by one with the spirit of the hero, and though the princess did have the blood of the goddess, the sword repelled her unqualified touch nonetheless. But even so, she had to keep trying, despite the burn that the sword would no doubt give her upon a second attempt. Bracing herself for the pain, Zelda grasped the hilt once more and though the sting was intense, she managed to draw it out of the ground after some struggling. Groaning in agony, she used all of her waning strength to hold the heavy sword up as she turned her attention to the battle once again.

For a brief second, Zelda watched as Link skillfully dodged another one of Veran's advances, before lifting the sword up into the air as high as she possibly could. "Link!" she shouted laboriously, hoping he could hear her voice despite the mask's apparent corruption. "Catch!" Without any further hesitation, the princess tossed the blade in his direction with all of her might. She held her breath anxiously as she watched the Master Sword sail through the air and as the hero caught it by the hilt with percise movements. However, the moment he grasped it, the blade began to glow with a strong, sacred light. And that light grew even brighter when he pointrd the tip of the Master Sword skyward. The holy glow of the blade of evil's bane was so pure that it actually caused Veran physical pain and Zelda had to look away so she would not be blinded by it. But when the light had faded and both of them looked back to the hero and the sword, they could not believe what they saw.

A strange, feminine figure hovered above the Master Sword as Link held it up. Zelda gasped in suprise and awe when she recognized that the being's physical appearance matched descriptions of something that she had studied in Hylian lore growing up. "Its the spirit of the Master Sword!" She whispered to herself in disbelief. The spirit, sometimes referred to as Fi in the most ancient of tomes, supposedly only existed in legends told of the goddess and her hero. Most Hylian scholars had disavowed the knowledge of the spirit's actual exsistance, but few believed that she was actually real though they thought that she was sealed inside her blade in an eternal slumber. Yet sure enough, the princess was seeing the spirit with her own eyes as it floated over the tip of the sword, glowing with an ethereal light. Both Fi and the Master Sword took on a fierce vigor, much like their bearer did; the sword and its spirit were surrounded by three differntly colored flames: one red, one blue and one green. Zelda's eyes widened in even more amazement when she realized that they were the legendary Sacred Flames that the sword was forged in. It was then that the princess gained an understanding of what was happening. The power of the Fierce Deity was so great that it somehow unleashed the purest sacred powers that were contined within the Master Sword in a physical manifestation. Veran must have realized this too, as Zelda noticed when she glanced over at the sorceress, who was backing into the wall in complete shock, her face full of something that the princess had never seen her show before: fear.

Without uttering a single word, the mysterious spirit suddenly glanced over at Zelda. The princess froze up in confused wonder until she noticed the Bow of Light glowing brilliantly at her feet. Cautiously picking it up, she felt herself being filled with sacred power, unlike any she had ever experianced before. In astonishment, she looked back towards Fi, who had turned her attention back to Veran, and the princess realized that the full power of the sacred bow had been unleashed along with the Master Sword's.

Meanwhile, Veran stood against the wall, her jaw dropped in bewilderment and her face pale with fright. She remained frozen in place as Fi lifted her cloaked arms and brought them down swiftly in the sorceress's direction. Veran had no time to react before the three Sacred Flames began to race towards her one by one. She could not protect herself against the holy fires and all three of them crashed into her, heavily injuring her. Veran screamed in agony and collapsed to the ground once the flames had finished their attack, glaring at both the hero and the sword spirit with extreme contempt.

With her duty fulfilled, Fi flew high into the air and preformed a magnificent flip before descending back into her vessel, which continued to glow in a heavenly light. As soon as the spirit had vanished, Link grasped the Master Sword with both hands and raced towards the sorceress, ready to finish her off. However, Veran, in all her anger, was ready for it and met his strike squarely with her own blade after she scrambled to her feet. The mark of the Triforce flashed erratically on the back of her hand, as did the Master Sword and bright sparks flew when the two blades collided. So great was the sheer concentration of raw power within the chamber, that it caused the earth beneath their feet to tremble violently. Zelda barely managed to remain standing as she watched the face-off tensely. Her heart beat rapidly as she realized that this battle between two figures of god-like strength was no place for a mere mortal such as herself. It was true that she had the sacred blood of the goddess Hylia flowing through her viens, but even so, herlimited strength was nothing compared to the current deadly power of both the hero and the sorceress.

Link and Veran continued to press their swords together roughly, making it a battle of sheer strength more than anything else. Zelda could see from her place several feet behind the sorceress that both of them were struggling to prevail, but it was really going nowhere since they were so equally matched. The princess bit her lip as she looked to her hero, hoping with all of her heart that he'd be the one to win this. Suddenly, however, the Deity locked his fierce gaze directly on Zelda. She let out a small gasp of suprise, wondering if he actually recognized her despite the mask. She continued to stare back at him for a moment until he nodded to her and quickly turned his head in Veran's direction. It took Zelda less than a second to understand what he was trying to tell her. With a small, yet confident grin she nodded back at him and, although she wasn't entirely sure, she thought that for a very brief moment, she saw him flash a smile back too.

With a deep breath of determination, Zelda rose her bow and concentrated all of her power as she crafted a light arrow and drew it back. She aimed right for Veran's turned back while Link kept her distracted and after one last quick prayer, the princess let her arrow fly. It hit its mark perfectly, heavily injuring the sorceress's already scarred back. Veran screamed in pain as she dropped her sword, giving Link a great opportunity to land the final blow. And, that's exactly what he did. The hero plunged the Master Sword right into the center of her chest, into the middle of her midriff which bore the manifestation of Majora's Mask. The sorceress's scream of agony was so shrill that it broke the glass of the large window of the chamber and it nearly deafened both the hero and the princess. The sword went through her so deep that its tip even came out of her back, marking it as a fatal blow. But even so, Link still stood in an offensive position and Zelda crafted another light arrow and kept her sights set on Veran, unsure of what would happen next.

In extreme suffering, Veran collapsed to her knees with the sword still burried into her flesh, her eyes wide with disbelief and pain. She kept her gaze locked onto the stone floor ahead of her and only glanced up at the hero when he moved to stand in front of her. Glaring viciously at him, she struggled to stumbled to her feet and backed away from him, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "Y-you..." she shouted in a broken voice. "In-infernal hero! You... you both think... that t-this is over... d-don't you? W-well its far f-from over! You can't p-possibly win! N-not as long as the p-power of the Triforce r-rests... in my hands!" Cackling wickedly, Veran lifed her hand into the air, ready to let the Triforce heal her dire wounds but even she could have never expected what would happen next. The mark of the Triforce glittered for a moment, but before she could even use its great magic, it started to fade away until it was gone altogether. Veran's eyes widened as she realized that the power of the gods was leaving her once and for all, leaving her to die from her extreme injuries. "No!" she shouted in desperation. "I-it cannot be!"

A bust of relief and hope came over Zelda as she watched the golden relic leave the sorceress. "Face it, Veran!" she shouted boldly. "You have abused the power of the gods time and time again and so now they are taking away from you. Your reign of darkness is finally over."

Veran glared hatefully at the princess, growing ever weaker from her mortal wound. "S-so you think... " she hissed darkly. "Y-you may have defeated m-me... but I am n-not the only one of my kind! B-before I left my native r-realm... I bore seeds of my hatred for t-this land of light... And, one day... my descendants s-shall avenge me... They shall c-conquer this land... and, they will d-destory the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... FOREVER!" Throwing her head back, Veran laughed wildly as her wound finally took its toll. The ground began to shake as the Master Sword embedded into her chest began to glow brightly. In a large flash of brilliant, blinding light the sorceress of shadows vanished away forever, finally destoryed as her insane laughter gradually echoed away into nothingness.

As the light faded and Zelda regained her vision, she lowered her bow to take in the newfound calm. Indeed, not a trace of Veran remained; the Master Sword was once again burried into the Pedestal of Time, as though it had never been moved before at all. But what caught the princess's attention most of all was her hero standing on the other side of it, still wearing the Fierce Diety's mask. Zelda took in a sharp breath as she ran towards him, praying and hoping that now that the battle was over, he would be able to take the mask off again. The princess stopped short a few feet away from him, noticing that he was not moving whatsoever. His pure white eyes stared off into the distance, not fixating on anything at all. Zelda bit her lip and continued to move closer to him nonetheless, though she was somewhat fearful of what could happen next. Staring up into his face, she stood before him and slowly took one of his hands, noticing how very cold it was. "Link..." she whispered gently, with a small, yet somewhat sad smile. "Link, its me, Zelda... Veran's gone... We won... So... Please... Take that mask off now..." The hero did not so much as even move upon her touch, much to the princess' dispair. "Link, please!" she tried again, this time with more desperation in her voice. "You... You have to take it off! I... I don't know what I'll do without you! Please," she said mornfully as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I need you... I... I love you..."

For another long minute, Zelda stared up into the stone-cold, emotionless face of the Deity and knew that Link truly was gone. He was lost forever to the mask's corruption, just as the princess had feared. She looked down in absolute misery and cried out loudly as she embraced his towering statue-like form. Never again would she adventure across the land of Hyrule or be comforted in his strong, yet gentle arms. Never again would he tell her that everything would be alright when all seemed lost or recount to her all of his grand exploits. And now, they would certainly never have the future together that they both had dreamed about.

So great was the princess' sorrow that she took no joy in Veran's defeat. Though Link had told her that she would have to move on and live her life without him, she didn't want to. Her heart was broken and she felt as though she couldn't go on without him, no matter how hare she tried. He was the only person she had left in the entire world and now he was gone. She was completely and utterly alone and the thought of having to live like this drove her to near insanity. Once again, Zelda cried out in grief, her distraught voice echoing throughout the temple.

"Its not fair!" she shouted in frustration. In despondancy, she burried her face into the hero's armored chest and let her tears flow freely. Zelda knew that out of all the people in the world, Link deserved a cruel fate like this the least. He had been the most loyal, most virtous hero that he could have been. He had saved Hyrule three times now, all for the sake of the princess who he had faithfully pledged his love to and had laid down his very life for. His entire life had been a struggle and despite all of his efforts to keep Hyrule and its princess safe, he would never be able to see the fruits of his never ending labors. And yet, he had always been kind, selfless and courageous, persevering through any challange that he faced. A perfect example of a hero. But even more than that, he had always been there for Zelda. He was her constant protector, trusted confidant, best friend and only love.

As Zelda stood there mourning her loss, memories of their all too brief time together flowed in and out of her mind, as did thoughts of what they could have done it fate had been kinder to them. They could have gotten married, had children and lived in bliss until the end of their days. But it was not to be, as the princess was bitterly reminded when she looked into the Deity's empty eyes, along with the fact there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

What made matters worse is that even if she were to leave and go back out into the world alone, she'd be walking into a destoryed kingdom. Hyrule was in ashes and most of her people were most likely dead by now. Even though Veran was gone now, she had certainly left her mark on the land. She had razed it to the point that Zelda wondered if there would there even be anything left to rebuild. What endless wasteland awaited her just outside of the temple? Would Hyrule ever be able to be restored to its former glory after facing such incredible destruction? Was it even worth trying to salvage at all?

With no idea of what to do next, Zelda remained still, with her arms locked tightly around her former hero. She had been standing there for what seemed like ages when all of the sudden, a soft golden glow began to shine behind her. The princess noticed it only when it grew brighter and a heavenly sound rung out from nowhere. Tenatively, she lifted her head and looked behind her to see something that she never thought she would.

"The Triforce!" Zelda gasped in awe as she saw the golden relic floating in all of its sacred glory several feet behind her. Not since ancient days had the Triforce been seen in its physical form and yet here it was, glittering magnificantly before her very eyes, just waiting to be touched. The princess realized that upon Veran's death, the golden relic was now no longer possesed by any one person and was able to appear in its full physical manifestation. Zelda stared at it in astonishment, entranced by its glowing beauty. It was then that a thought occurred to her: perhaps if she touched the Triforce, then the goddesses might grant her any desire. Including the restoration of Link's soul and Hyrule's former prosperity.

The idea twisted and turned inside of her mind and the more she thought about it, the more she knew it was the right thing to do. Not just for her aching heart but for the aching hearts of all of her war-torn people. It was what they deserved and it was what Link deserved. And so, taking in a deep breath, Zelda turned away from the Deity to fully face the Triforce. Her heart pounded nervously as she wondered what could potentially happen but even so, she began to slowly walk towards the golden relic. She kept her eyes locked on it as she hoped that the goddesses would be merciful to all of them. The princess came to a halt only about a foot away from the Triforce and she could already feel the immense sacred power radiating from it. Glacing back towards the still unmoving hero one last time, she placed all of her reservations aside and slowly lifted her hand to touch it. She cleared her mind of everything else except for her two wishes as she finally placed her hand on the golden relic. And before she even knew what was happening, she was enveloped in the Triforce's golden light and whisked away to the home of the goddesses themselves: the Sacred Realm.

* * *

_"Its such a nice day..." Zelda said to Link as the two of them leisurely walked along the shore of Lake Hylia. Indeed it was; the late afternoon summer sun reflected spectacularly across the lake's glass-like surface and the clear blue sky seemed almost infinite._

_"Yeah, it is..." the hero said casually before letting out a small yawn. "Kinda boring though..."_

_"Boring?" the princess raised an eyebrow at him. "I swear Link, you're always craving some kind of excitement! So tell me, what would make this day any more interesting?"_

_"Hm..." He thought for a moment before responding. "Well a storm would certainly help."_

_"A storm?" Zelda scoffed. "Come on. Just look up there!" She pointed to the pleasant blue atmosphere above their heads. "There isn't a cloud in the sky!"_

_Link gave her a sly grin as he took the Ocarina of Time out. "I can fix that," he said cleverly, catching a look of suspicion from the princess._

_"What are you doing...?" she asked curiously as she watched him play a quick, bouncy melody known properly as the Song of Storms. As he was playing, the princess was suprised to see dark clouds forming out of nowhere in the skies above. But what bewildered her even more was when rain began to fall from those clouds coupled with roaring thunder. In a matter of minutes, both of them were soaked, much to Zelda's derision._

_Glaring at the hero crossly, she reached for the ocarina to get him to stop playing the rain-bringing song but he was quick to hold it up out of her reach. "Link!" she said, trying to act annoyed even though there was clear laughter in her tone. "You are just terrible!"_

_Before Link could even give her a retort, she pushed him so hard that he started to fall, but he managed to grab onto Zelda's wrist just in time so he could bring her down with him. Both of them tumbled into Lake Hylia's crystal blue waters, getting them even wetter. When the two of them surfaced, the princess scowled at the hero for a minute, but both of them were quick to break out into gales of laughter._

_"Well, I was right," Link said a moment later._

_"Oh really?" Zelda said amidst the still falling rain. "About what?"_

_"That did make things more interesting," he laughed and she joined in after giving him a much deserved splash._

* * *

_**Another cliffhanger! You're all welcome :P but at least Veran finally got what was coming to her, huh? :D even though things still arent over yet! there's still three chapters coming plus the epilouge which means I am so close to being done that its like i can reach put and touch it. So moving on... This chapter was a PAIN IN THE NECK to write! It wasnt that i had writer's block, because I didnt. I had a TON of ideas for this chapter, but well... My laptop kinda crashed when i was in the middle of writing this chapter... And its still not working... T_T grrrrr... But at least i had saved the chapter to dropbox so i only lost a few sentances, yay! Yeah so I had to write more than half of this on my ipad, which was complete and total BALLS, but oh well, at least its finally done. Hopefully i will fix my moron computer sometime soon and be able to crank out these last few chapters quicker! So enough rambling. PLEASE leave a REVIEW and Until next time! **_


	35. The Eternal Cycle

Chapter 34

In a world apart from Hyrule existed the heavenly home of the goddesses' golden relic. The Sacred Realm was a holy, undefiled place of unparalleled beauty. The Triforce in all its glory shone down upon the realm from above, its sacred light acting as the world's glittering sun. It cast a golden cover across the endless skies of the land, making them the rich colors of vibrant twilight rather than blue. The Sacred Realm itself was vast and magnificent, consisting of large, rolling fields, high crested mountains, sparking, pure rivers, and thick, lush forests. At its center, rising high above the immense landscape rested the picturesque Temple of Light, the holiest of places within the already divine realm. And it was inside of the temple's inner courtyard that the Princess of Hyrule found herself only a moment or so after placing her hands upon the Triforce.

Upon regaining her vision after being blinded by the golden relic's blinding light, Zelda's breath caught in surprise and awe when she looked around at her new surroundings. Indeed she was no longer within the Temple of Time and Link was no longer with her at all. Rather, she was alone in another place entirely. The Temple of Light's courtyard was a place untouched by mortals and was large enough to encompass many miles of land. Zelda stood in the heart of the courtyard, surrounded by three different types of beautiful, natural environments, all of which opened up into the golden sky above. To the north was a rocky, earthen region, a tall volcano towering into the sky several miles in the distance. A steady stream of smoke rose from its peak and lava poured down its sides in small streams down into several contained pools. To the southwest laid a shimmering, flowing waterfall, rising into the air almost as high as the mountain. Its pure waters poured into a lake that shallowed out into a small shore covered with white sand. And finally to the southeast was a dense, green forest, abundant with all types of plants and animals. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the many trees, which circled out to create an open clearing near the center of the courtyard

Zelda turned a slow, full circle to examine the strange, yet peaceful area. As she was doing so, she finally took notice of what she was now wearing. Instead of the blood-soiled, filthy, torn outfit that she had been wearing, she was now girded in a stunning, flowing silk gown that seemed to be spun out of pure gold. She was still wearing the tiara that she had received from Impa and she realized that, much to her surprise, her hair was its normal long length instead of butchered to its ends like Veran had chopped it. As Zelda looked over her new dress, she wondered where it came from but at the same time she couldn't help but admire its beauty and elegance. For the first time in a long time, she finally felt like a true princess again.

As Zelda was looking over her clothing, a sudden voice called out to her from behind. "It seems as though the Princess of Destiny has finally arrived," the feminine voice said. It was deep and strong, yet pleasing to the ears as the very sound of it seemed to roar like distant thunder. "We have been expecting you."

With a small gasp, the princess spun around to face the earthen region of the courtyard. Within it, several feet away from her current position, stood a gorgeous young woman. She had long, fiery red hair, tied up into a thick ponytail. It perfectly matched her form-fitting, floor-length dress, girded at the waist with a large gold band to match her bracelets and necklace. Her skin was tanned, as if she were born of the desert itself and her eyes were ruby red and fierce, as was her mysterious smile. Zelda stared at her silently for a moment until she realized, based on the design on the banner that hung from her band, whose presence she was in.

Her eyes widening in fear, the princess quickly bowed to the ground in reverence. "I... Y-you're..." she stammered nervously. "You're D-d-"

"Yes..." the woman interrupted her somewhat impatiently . "I am Din. The goddess of power. The creator of the red earth of Hyrule. Guardian of its seasons. Crafter of its mountains, its rhythm, and its fire. And mother of all those born of power and strength. Of course, the form that I currently appear to you in is not my true form. But the very sight of that would be beyond your mortal comprehension. It is only through the wisdom that my sister imbued to you that you are even able to stand within this most holy of places at all. Most normal, weak humans are not even able to enter the Temple of Light whatsoever, so consider yourself lucky, princess. Very few mortals such as yourself will ever be able to see what you're viewing right now."

"Din..." another, much more gentle and melodious voice admonished the goddess of power for her rashness. "I believe the Daughter of Wisdom understands just how rare of an opportunity this is for any human. There is no need to abase her. She has been through enough hardship without your belittling."

Zelda turned to the new speaker, who stood in the sands of the lake region. Almost instantly, she felt a certain closeness to the woman who stood several feet away from her and because of that, she was able to quickly recognize her as the goddess of wisdom herself. "Nayru..." the princess said in amazement. The goddess smiled warmly at her, her wizened sapphire eyes full of care and kindness. Nayru's human form was just as lovely as Din's. Her skin was pale, but flawless and her ocean blue hair flowed like a river all the way down to her feet. She wore an elegant azure gown, decorated with with ruffled sleeves and a skirt bearing her iconic mark.

"You are correct, my child..." Nayru said cordially. "I am indeed the goddess of wisdom. And as my sister said, you stand within the courtyard of the Temple of Light, which rests within the heart of the Sacred Realm. Under most circumstances, when a mortal places their hands upon the Triforce, their wish is granted instantly, but we found it necessary to bring you to this place for two reasons."

"The first reason," Din continued where Nayru had left off. "Is that there is quite a bit of information that we need to pass on to the last current heir to the Hyrulian throne to ensure its peace in the future."

"And the second," a third voice cut in, its tone bright and youthful. "Is because you had not one, but two wishes within your heart when you touched the Triforce." Looking to the forested area this time, Zelda saw the final goddess of the three. She smiled cheerfully at the princess as she sat, rather than stood as her sisters did, on a tree stump nearby surrounded by various forest animals. "Hello princess," she greeted. "I am Farore, the goddess of courage." Farore's hair was as green as the lush forest behind her and flowed straight down to the ground. Her dress was by far more simple than Din's or Nayru's; it was light green with a blue banner bearing her mark and a skirt decorated with flower petals along the hem. Her eyes were emerald green and effervescent, yet there was a hint of sadness in them too for some reason.

A sudden fear came over Zelda as she realized that she stood in the presence of all three of Hyrule's creators at once. Her eyes wide with shock, she fell prostrate to the ground before all three of them, hoping to win their favor so they would grant both of her wishes. "O Golden Goddess..." she prayed breathlessly. "I... I am not worthy to even stand within your sacred presence... I am but your humble servant... Anything you ask, anything at all, I will gladly do it."

"There is no need for such formalities, my child," Nayru said. "After all, you are are the Daughter of my Wisdom, the one soul out of all within the mortal realm that I found worthy to carry my crest."

"Oh come now, Nayru," Din interjected playfully. "Let the poor girl worship if she wants to. Its rare to see a mortal who actually knows their place compared to the gods. She's much more humble than the last one to wish upon the Triforce, that radical sorceress woman, Veran. Why, she actually believed she could come here and conquer us with our own power!" The goddess of power let out a short snicker. "Its people like her that make me say that mortals are far too overconfident for their own good and that's what gets so many of them killed!"

Farore interrupted with a small giggle. "Oh, Din," she laughed. "You're always condescending mortals. While they're not as strong as you'd like for them to be, many of them are quite brave. In fact, a select few of them show exemplary courage..." Her bright smile slowly turned to a saddened frown as she looked to Zelda. "Princess, your beloved hero was no exception..." Farore said, looking down in grief as sparkling tears fell down her cheeks. "I felt his great inner struggle and pain like a knife through my heart. Such suffering he endured throughout his life... It is a tragedy that pains my soul still... To watch as the Son of my Courage met such a cruel fate was agonizing. And yet... He was perhaps the most virtuous hero that this land has ever known. He was strong in heart, soul and spirit..."

"Ah yes..." Din said with a broad smile. "The spirit of the Hero of Time was quite strong indeed. Not just because he bore the ancient spirit of the hero, but by his own merit as well. And in the end, that was both his salvation and his downfall."

Zelda glanced at the goddess of power in confusion. "W-what do you mean?" she dared to ask.

"Well," Nayru began. "We shall explain, for it ties into the tale we are going to tell you quite nicely. Now, we must impart to you Hyule's long and bloodstained history. Of its past, its present, and its future." With a soft smile, the goddess of wisdom nodded to her sisters and all three of them lifted their hands up towards the golden sky. Suddenly, it turned into a shade of deep blue, much to Zelda's fascination. "When we formed the world, the land of Hyrule was not the only place we created," Nayru said as three lights representing the goddesses shot across the skyscape. Hyrule came into being as they soared over it and the Triforce floated high above it. "There was another land, parallel to Hyrule, that we breathed form, law and life into."

The princess watched as another land was birthed into existence, one that looked quite familiar to her. "It was Hyrule's twin land," Farore said. "The country of Termina. Much like Hyrule, we left Termina to grow on its own but we decided to appoint a protector over it, as we appointed Hylia over Hyrule." A beautiful woman with raven black hair appeared, presiding over Termina. "She was the goddess Terminus and it was her duty to watch over the realm in our absence."

"For a time, Termina prospered under her guidance," Din said, as a society rose up in the sky above. "Until the demon Majora rose up to conquer the land. All of the people of Termina became enamored with the demon and worshiped it in droves, following after its great wickedness. So great was the evil in the hearts of men, that we were forced to permanently close the gateway to the Sacred Realm that existed in Termina, so they would not lay their hands upon the Triforce and use its power to destroy the world." As Din was speaking, the immorality of the people of Termina was shown in the skies along with the terrifying form of Majora.

"The people reveled in their iniquity for centuries, until Terminus put an end to it," Nayru said, as Terminus cast her light upon the fallen land, eradicating to the offenders of the law and sparing a select few. "She destroyed the kingdom that the evil ones had established to worship Majora and spared those still loyal to her, letting them build a city of righteousness within the center of the land under her protection."

"At the same time, within the land of Hyrule," Farore said as the scene transitioned to Hyrule. "The demon king Demise arose from the earth and sought to claim the Triforce, which we had left in the hands of Hylia. He caused much destruction and death across the land and so, to protect her people and the golden relic, Hylia sent the humans and the Triforce skyward on an outcropping of earth, above the reach of Demise's armies. She also sent along with it a sacred sword, to be wielded and forged by the one who would be her chosen hero, who would be worthy of using our golden relic and destroying the demon king." Zelda watched in wonder as the entire war played out before her very eyes, including the human's ascension to the sky and the sacred blade.

"Hylia succeeded in sealing Demise away," Din continued. "But she knew her seal would not last forever. And so, she decided to cast off her divinity and be reborn as a mere mortal to ensure Demise's complete eradication. She asked us to dictate the fates so that she would be reborn along side her chosen hero and so we did. After many centuries of her absence, both Hylia and her hero were born among the humans in the sky."

"By fate one day, Hylia's reincarnation descended to the surface and learned of her destiny," Farore said while the image of a young girl bearing semblance to both Zelda and Hylia was shown. It was then that Zelda realized that this girl must have been her ancestor, the first one with the blood of the goddess. "At the same time, the hero came to terms with his destiny as well and together, they both vanquished Demise from the land." The princess watched in amazement as Hylia's reincarnation and her hero, who looked conspicuously similar to Link, ensured the eradication of the demon king. "However, before he was sealed away, Demise uttered a curse that would endure for all of Hyrule's existence: he vowed that his eternal hatred would reincarnate and peruse vengeance on those with the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero in a cycle with no end."

"But even so," Nayru said as rays of sunshine bore down upon the virgin land. "For a brief time, the surface was peaceful. But all was not well in Termina. Though the followers of Majora were no more, the demon still ran loose across Terminus' domain. Knowing that it would inspire evil in the hearts of men once more if it was allowed to be free, Terminus followed after Hylia's tactics and chose a hero of her own to bring down Majora. The hero succeeded and the demon's consciousness was sealed away within a mask and entrusted to a tribe quite similar in function to the Sheikah of Hyrule for protection."

"However," Din said, while the next scene played out in they sky. "Terminus' hero was severely injured in the battle against the demon. He received a wound from Majora that corrupted his spirit, transforming him into the god-like, violent warrior known as the Fierce Deity. Thanks to Majora's lasting hatred, the Deity was forced to wage war against the goddess herself and his strength was so great that she could not overcome him."

"In desperation," Nayru continued. "Terminus turned to us for help. She begged us to send someone who could defeat her former hero and restore peace to her land. And so, we sent Hylia and her hero. The hero faced the Deity in an arduous battle and in the end, the Fierce Deity was sealed away within a mask was well and was lost to the ages. However, in the encounter with the Deity, Hylia's hero also received a corrupting wound, but managed to conceal and suppress it for a time."

"Hylia and the hero returned to Hyrule, but shortly after their return another war broke out in both the sky and on the surface," Din said as visions of violent battles erupted across the sky. "It began when a small sect of the Sheikah, who were appointed to be Hylia's loyal protectors, broke off from her followers and began to accumulate power for themselves. Their ultimate goal was the Triforce. In their greed and hatred, they wanted to completely destroy the goddess and her hero and take over the surface. These Dark Interlopers, as they came to be called, caused an era of chaos that lasted for some time. Discontent and violence broke out among the new surface dwellers and the land was ravaged by war once again."

"At the same time," Farore said, with a tinge of reminiscent sorrow in her voice. "Hylia's hero succumbed to the corruption of the Fierce Deity, similar to how your hero has, and his heroic spirit was put to the ultimate test. It was only through his strong will and undying love for the goddess that his soul was preserved. However, Majora knew that the hero had conquered above its corruption twice and so it vowed that one day, it would not only return to destroy Termina in its entirety, but it would also permanently corrupt the spirit of the hero as it had with Terminus' hero."

"Though many lives were lost and much blood was shed," Nayru said as the war with the Dark Interlopers raged on. "The goddess and the hero eventually triumphed over the Dark Interlopers. It was then that we sent our agents, the spirits of light, to Hyrule to seal them away. Their power was taken from them and they were banished to a realm of shadows, a place devoid of light known as the Twilight Realm. However, as they entered into their permanent exile, their leader vowed that they would return to completely destroy those with the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero and conquer the land forever. Knowing that if this were to truly happen, it would leave Hyrule without any protectors, so we altered that curse into a prophecy that stated if the Dark Interlopers were to ever return to assail Hyrule again, then only those with the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero would be able to defeat them and restore peace to the land."

"With the Interlopers sealed away, the land saw a long era of peace and prosperity," Din went on. "The goddess and the hero built a kingdom within it and they helped to seal the Triforce away here within the Sacred Realm so that such violence would not break out again over it. And, as the years passed, the people gradually forgot about the Triforce and Hyrule developed and grew. That is, until Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows broke free from her realm seventeen years ago and incited a civil war among the people of Hyrule."

"As you know, princess," Farore said as images of Veran's senseless slaughters of the Sheikah and the knights appeared in the skies. "The sorceress killed many during her initial invasion of the land. Her target was the Triforce, which she hoped to claim in fulfillment of her ancestors' curse. However, we were quick to instruct the seven sages to seal her away again before she could gain access to the Sacred Realm. Yet this time, Hyrule's peace would be very brief."

"Seven years ago, the Gerudo king of thieves, Ganondorf, started searching for an entrance into the Sacred Realm as well," Din said with contempt in her rumbling voice. "And he would have indeed gotten ahold of the Triforce and destroyed Hyrule if you and your hero had not intervened. For Ganondorf was none other than the reincarnation of Demise's hatred himself, the fulfillment of his curse come to take vengeance on those of the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero. However, his evil reign was prevented and he did not touch the Triforce to wrongfully claim the crest of my power."

"Knowing that the Triforce's power would be needed to keep Hyrule in a state of peace," Nayru said. "We decided to keep its pieces separate and allowed them to remain with their chosen bearers. With the crests of Wisdom and Courage in the hands of the righteous and pure of heart, we believed the the kingdom would be safe and see prosperity for years to come."

"It was around this time that your hero left the the land he had saved," Farore said as Zelda watched Link leave Hyrule yet again, as she had seven years ago. "At the same time, the land of Termina was in grave danger. Majora had broken free from its ancient seal and sought to destroy the land by bringing down its moon. Once again, Terminus pleaded with us to send a hero to save her realm and so in my providence, I guided the Son of Courage to the gateway to Termina. He put an end to Majora's ambitions, as you well know, but the demon sought vengeance on the spirit of the hero. And so, Majora, who had gained possession of the Fierce Deity's Mask through its treachery, tricked the young Hero of Time into putting it on in hopes that it would corrupt his soul. But the hero's spirit was stronger than Majora could have expected and the hero used the Deity's power to seal the demon away once more, though its hatred for the hero still burned hot."

"With his journey in Termina completed, the hero returned to you and peace lasted in Hyrule for seven years time," Din said. "But, using the forbidden magic of her ancestors, Veran found her way back into Hyrule and began searching for the Triforce once more. Upon obtaining all three crests, the sorceress easily conquered Hyrule and would stop at nothing until she destroyed the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero. Using the Triforce's power, she gained the corrupting strength of Majora's Mask, along with its intense malice for the Hero of Time. Together, they plotted to break his spirit once and for all using the Fierce Deity's Mask and use his great power for their own ends."

"But in her wickedness could not succeed," Farore said with a small, yet sad smile. "In the end, her power could not corrupt the hero's strong spirit. As the prophecy said, Veran was defeated by one of the blood of the goddess and one of the spirit of the hero. However, this does not mean that your hero's soul was spared. During the battle, the Hero of Time was at war with the strong, corrupting might of the Fierce Deity. The spirit of the hero prevailed briefly, long enough to ensure the destruction of the Sorceress of Shadows and your protection, but in the end, neither spirit truly won. The respective strength of the spirit of the Deity and the spirit of the hero negated each other and both were ultimately destroyed."

As the goddess of courage revealed this, Zelda let out a small gasp of realization. So it was true; not only was Link's soul gone, but so was the powerful spirit of the hero. Which meant that if things remained the way they currently were, Hyrule would never see another hero again. And Zelda simply could not let that happen.

"Your graces," the princess interrupted their tale, bowing humbly before them. "If I may be so bold, may I possibly make a wish upon your golden relic to alter that fact?"

Nayru smiled to her sisters upon Zelda's request and nodded kindly. "Indeed you may," she said as the sky turned back into its usual gold pallor. "We already know what desires rest within the depths of your heart but you must speak them for yourself if you wish for them to be reality. Nothing is too great for the might of the Triforce to grant. However, when touched in its physical form, only one wish may be granted for any one person."

Zelda frowned as she began to understand the implications of this. "Which means," Din cut in firmly. "You have a choice to make, Princess of Destiny. Your kingdom lies in ruins, decimated into a vast wasteland by Veran's hand of destruction. Many of your people have lost their lives and the few that remain are weak and hopeless. But at the same time, the spirit and soul of your beloved hero is forever gone. The same hero who gave everything he had and everything he was to save you and your kingdom. The choice is yours. You may choose the restoration of your kingdom or your hero. One or the other. You may not have both."

Zelda's heart lurched upon hearing this news spelled out plainly. She could only have one. Her kingdom or her hero. Hyrule or Link. She looked down in grief and worry, knowing how difficult of a choice this would be. On the one hand Hyrule was broken beyond repair. Its population was drastically thinned within a matter of mere days and its natural beauty was long gone. It would take so many long, hard years of toil and turmoil for her and her people if they hoped to even restore it on their own at all. Its people had lost so much in the war against Veran: their homes, their families, their lives. If she were to choose her kingdom, then the goddesses could undo all of the sorceress' destruction within a matter of minutes. It would be as though Veran never laid her hands upon the land at all and it would go on to see a future of peace and prosperity. But at what cost? Would such a future even be worth for Zelda if she wouldn't have Link to share it with her? She knew that if she did that, she would be dead on the inside for the rest of her life. For as long as she could remember, he had always been there for her, always protecting her and always supporting her. And in the end, he had given everything up for her. He was the only one she had ever loved and she knew well that she would never know such love again if he was gone forever. She simply could not rationalize letting his sacrifice go unrewarded. He deserved to live and see happiness after all of the suffering he had endured. But even, so the princess was still torn between the two choices. She only had one shot at this and the more she thought about it, the more she realized that this was an impossible decision. One that she couldn't possibly make.

After several minutes of pondering all of this, Zelda let out a tearful breath. "I... I cannot choose between them..." she said to the goddesses quietly. The three of them exchanged a silent glance as she went on. "I love both my people and my hero with all of my heart. No matter what path I choose... Something I hold dearly will be lost." With a newfound confidence in her decision, Zelda glanced up at the Triforce, which hung high above her head. "I would rather die than choose one or the other!" She proclaimed firmly.

The goddesses remained silent for a moment, their faces thoughtful and solemn, until Farore let out a small giggle. "Well Nayru?" She asked the goddess of wisdom excitedly. "Did she pass?"

"Farore!" Din moaned in joking aggravation. "You always spoil everything!"

"My sisters, please," Nayru laughed warmly at their antics. "Yes, Farore, she did pass."

"Yay!" The goddess of courage cheered brightly, almost on the verge of tears of joy. "Then that means he'll be ok after all!"

Din rolled her eyes at her sister. "No," she said coyly. "It means they'll all be ok..."

Zelda looked between all three goddesses in clear confusion. "W-what do you mean?" She asked humbly. "I don't understand..."

"Well of course you don't!" the goddess of power smirked. "But at the very least, even I must commend you, princess. Very few mortals have ever passed one of Nayru's infamous tests."

"Din speaks truly," Nayru cut in. "My child, I must apologize for not being direct with you, but it was necessary to test your wisdom. By making you choose between your kingdom and your hero, we were able to see which one your love rested with more. Your duty by birth is to your kingdom and your people. If you had chosen the restoration of Hyrule, it would have been a selfless act, indeed, but you would have sacrificed your own happiness. But you also have a duty to uphold to your heart. If you had chosen to restore only the spirit of your hero, your true love would have been returned to you, but you would have to live with your selfish choice for the remainder of your days. True wisdom is not mere knowledge. Rather, it is understanding what decisions must be made that better the lives of everyone involved, including one's own self. To live entirely for others is misery for your own heart, but to live entirely for your own well being is the root of wickedness. There must be a balance of both for one to attain true wisdom. By choosing to both your kingdom and your hero, you have shown to us that you are truly wise, even through all of your suffering physically and emotionally, and, that you deserve to be granted both of your righteous wishes."

"B-both?!" Zelda stammered, her eyes widening in sudden joy.

"Yes," Farore confirmed with a cheerful smile. "Both."

For the first time in a long time, Zelda genuinely smiled. She could hardly believe this was happening. The goddesses were going to grant both of her wishes! They were going to return Hyrule to its former prosperity and they were going to restore Link as well! Everything was going to be alright after all! The princess couldn't remember a time when she had been happier. "Oh, thank you so much, your graces!" She said graciously as she bowed low to the ground in thanksgiving. "Your mercy and providence is endless! I don't know how I could possibly repay you for your infinite kindness!"

"There is no need, my child," Nayru said warmly. "All we ask of you is for you to lead the land of Hyrule into an age of prosperity and find happiness with your hero for the rest of your days."

Zelda nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, but of course we will," she complied without hesitation. "I promise that I-"

"And..." Din interrupted, giving the princess a piercing look. "You must never forget both the history we have told you and the tragedy that has befallen you and your kingdom. You must be made to remember it, and pass along the knowledge of it to your descendants, so it will not fade away into the annals of history. And so, to ensure that you will not forget, both you and your hero will be forever marked for the rest of your days. These marks will serve as permanent physical reminders to you and your people of the great war that erupted across the land."

Zelda's smile suddenly faded as she wondered what kind of "mark" the goddess of power was talking about but before she could ask, Farore interjected. "The history of Hyrule flows in an endless cycle..." She said thoughtfully. "In its great span, those with the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero are bound to each other by destiny, fated to be reincarnated whenever the land faces the threat of evil. We dictated this in ancient times, so that the land would never be left without hope. It happened in ancient times, it has happened now and it will happen again."

"Listen well, Daughter of Wisdom," Nayru said as a new scene appeared in the sky. "Centuries from now, after Hyrule has enjoyed an age of peace and growth, darkness will once again invade this land and threaten to cover it in shadows forever. However, in that era, the fated pair will be reborn once again. When it shall seem as though Hyrule will be permanently shrouded in fear and darkness, a hero shall appear in the form of a blue-eyed beast. With the aid of a princess from the Twilight itself, he shall restore light to the plagued land not once, but twice. For when the hero's initial trial is over, a descendant of the sorceress of shadows herself will come forth from the Twilight and seek to avenge her ancestor. In those dark days, the spirit of the hero will face corruption once again, unlike any ever experienced by any hero before, including yours. Only time will tell if this new hero, the Hero of Twilight as he will come to be known, will fall victim to it or rise above it and save the land once again."

Zelda listened closely to the goddess of wisdom's prophecy, committing every word to memory. She watched the scene in the sky play out in its full drama and knew that these events were going to certainly come to pass in the distant future. If it came from the mouths of the goddesses themselves, it was sure to come true one day, which gave the princess both fear and hope for her kingdom's future. Fear for the shadows that would threaten to cover it and hope that the new hero would vanquish them.

"Time grows short," Din said as the skies returned to their natural gold. "Princess of Destiny, it is time for you to make your wishes." As she spoke, the Triforce descended down from its place in the sky to float before Zelda.

"When you place your hands upon the golden relic," Farore said. "We will make your pure-hearted desires come true. We shall pour out our power, wisdom and courage upon the land of Hyrule once again and restore all that has been lost. Its natural beauty will be revived as will all of the lives that have been lost during Veran's reign. And... I will personally make sure that your hero's soul is restored... Of course, I might have to ask an old friend for a favor to in order do it..." She grinned slyly to Din and Nayru, who both broadly smiled back.

"I'm sure Hylia wouldn't mind," Din said casually. "After all, she does owe us for the last time we helped her back when she was a mortal..."

Farore giggled spritely as Nayru turned to Zelda one last time. "Daughter of Wisdom..." She said with a loving, motherly smile. "It is time for us to part ways. We have blessed you and your hero so that you will know many years of love and fruitfulness. And... always remember..."

"That so long as one uses power to find true strength..." Din said, raising her hands into the airand taking on a red aura.

"Wisdom to find true understanding..." Nayru said, as she began to take on a blue glow.

"And courage to find true bravery..." Farore said, already glowing green.

"Then they will lead you to the source of true prosperity!" The three golden goddesses said in unison as the princess finally placed her hands upon the Triforce and was blinded by its golden light once again.

* * *

_A wild breeze rolled across the tall grasses of Hyrule Field as Link and Zelda walked through them, searching for stray rupees. "Wow!" The princess exclaimed as the strong gale tossed her long hair around. "This is some wind! Farore must be upset about something today."_

_After a moment of thought, the hero proposed a rather_ _random question to her. "Have you ever wondered what they look like?"_

_"Who?" Zelda asked. "The goddesses? Well of course! I'd guess that most everyone who's ever lived has. Why?"_

_"I don't know," Link shrugged. "I just think its kinda strange that nobody's ever seen them, but they were the ones who created Hyrule. What does anybody really know about them at all?"_

_"Well..." Zelda said thoughtfully. "Hm... I guess not much at all. Members of the royal family know a little more than most people, since its out job to know Hylian legends and lore. For instance, most people don't know that the goddesses preside over more than just their respective elements. What I mean to say is that Din isn't just the goddess of power. She's also the goddess of fire, seasons, music, and earth. Nayru is the goddess of wisdom, but she also presides over water, time, law and science. And finally, Farore is the goddess of courage, wind, forests, life, and spirits..." Proud of her eloquent explaination, Zelda glaced over at Link to find that he wasn't really paying attention to it at all, but rather scouring the grass for rupees. "Hey!" She exclaimed hotly. "Are you listening to_ _me?"_

_"Huh?" He said, looking back towards the princess. "Um... No, not really. Sorry."_

_"No you're not!" She pouted playfully. "So tell me, since your search for spare change was so much more important that the history of Hyrule's patron deities, did you actually manage to find anything?"_

_"Actually, I did," the hero said with a clever grin as he held out a purple rupee out to her. "You can have it. I hope you can forgive my short attention span, princess."_

_Zelda gave him a viscous smile, but accepted the gift nonetheless. "Two things," she said, crossing her arms. "First of all, I told you not to call me that. Secondly, you know that I'm already filthy rich and that fifty rupees to me is about the same as one. But... I guess its_ _the thought that counts..." They both laughed as the princess gave the hero a playful punch to the arm. "Oh, and next time I go into a theology lesson," she teased. "I expect you to listen, 'Mr. Hero of Time'."_

* * *

_**Wow! This chapter got out quick! Only 2 days after the last one! that might be because my computer is still broken and i wrote this chapter entirely on my ipad :P i'm not gonna let a little computer trouble stop me! Plus for once i'm posting this chapter while the sun's still up, which means that the world certainly must be going mad! Well guys, only three chapters left! everything seems to be wrapping up nicely, huh? REVIEW PLEASE Or face the wrath of the goddesses (who in case you need some physical reference look similar in their human forms to the oracles who have the same names as them (cept for farore, who i wanted to look different :) i guess that's it! Until next time! **_


	36. The Life of a Hero

Chapter 35

As Din, Nayru and Farore outpoured their powers of restoration across the land of Hyrule, another goddess worked to fulfill the Princess of Destiny's other wish. Within an ancient temple that existed only in the realms of the past, the light plucks of harmonious harp strings rang out like a bell as two figures appeared inside of its sunlit confines from out of thin air. One was a beautiful young girl with shining golden hair and an untarnished white dress, her sacred golden harp being the source of the flowing music. The other was a young man with light, yet sharp, blue eyes and blonde hair, clothed in heroic green. He stood before the girl, listening curiously to the mysterious song she was playing as she sang along to it in her assonant voice.

"O youth," she began, her eyes shut as she masterfully plucked her instrument. "Guided by the servant of the goddess, unite earth and sky... And bring light to the land..." She paused for a brief moment and opened her eyes to glance at him before continuing with the song's hidden second verse. "O youth... Chosen one with the crest of courage, traverse the flow of time... And restore peace to the land..."

As her song came to an end, the girl placed her harp aside and turned to look fully at the young man, her dark blue eyes giving him a piercing stare. For the longest time, the temple was completely silent as the two of them examined each other, until the girl spoke once more. "Who are you?" she asked mysteriously, yet knowingly. He gazed back at her silently, trying to come up with an answer for her but finding nothing. The only memory that existed in his mind was this moment alone, almost as if he had not been alive before it. If he had once had any life before this, he couldn't remember a thing about it, not even his own name.

The girl frowned when he gave her no response and repeated her question, still staring inquisitively at him. "Who are you?"

The young man simply shook his head and gave her the most honest honest answer he could. "I... I don't know..." he said somewhat hesitantly.

The young girl sighed and looked down sadly. "Farore warned me that this might happen..." she said to herself and then turned to look at him once more. "Please," she said politely, a small yet morose smile crossing her face. "If you want to know who you are, then close your eyes and listen to this." She poised her harp to begin playing as the young man followed her instructions obediently. "Listen... to the Song of the Hero..."

Instead of her previous song, the girl began to craft an entirely new melody, one that was bright and triumphant. As the young man listened to it, he felt himself being pulled away from the girl and the temple, to another place, or rather another time entirely.

The song the girl was playing suddenly moved from its upbeat and gallant tempo to a tense and dissonant one. The young man found himself in a foggy and distant memory, yet one that was undoubtably his. Sheets of cold rain poured down from a black sky as a familiar woman carried him away from a burning, warring landscape to a safe and secluded forest. The tune became slow and steady as the woman passed away, leaving him in the care of the guardian of the forest, who took him in and raised him as one of the forest children. As the song picked up and became youthful and lighthearted, he watched an innocent childhood, his innocent childhood, play out before his very eyes. Throughout it, the boy was an outcast because he did not have a guardian fairy to call his own but one certain girl knew that he was different and befriended him. The two of them shared many happy, carefree days together, until the day his life changed forever...

The melody became solemn as the forest guardian finally sent him a fairy companion, who guided him to the cursed tree. The boy lifted the curse but his efforts were in vain for the guardian died anyway but not before revealing to him the land's creation at the hands of three ancient goddesses. The tree then sent him off on a quest: to leave the safety of the forest and meet with the kingdom's princess.

The song moved to a somewhat morose key as he bid farewell to his longtime friend, but then became bold once more as he adventured out into the land for the first time. But then, it slowed into a sweet, beautiful lullaby when he first met the princess herself. It took him less than a second to realize that he loved her deeply and that he would be driven to do anything to protect her. She told him of an evil man from the desert that sought to claim her kingdom and its golden relic and entrusted the young hero with the task of collecting the keys that could ensure its safety. The song emboldened once again as he agreed without a second thought and set off across the land, experiencing new sights and defeating daunting enemies. Along the way, he met many friends and allies: the princess' stern, yet level-headed guardian, the proud leader of the mountain-dwelling people, the young, extravagant princess of the water-dwelling race, and a spirited farm girl with a melodious voice.

As it seemed that he was at the end of his quest and that he had accomplished the duty the princess had given to him, the music suddenly became treacherous and laced with oncoming danger. He returned to the princess only to find her fleeing for her life before coming face to face with the desert king, who was quick to chase after her. Knowing what he had to do to aid the princess, the young hero rushed to the ancient temple and drew the legendary blade of evil's bane, but what happened next, he never could have expected.

Seven years passed almost instantly and he spent them in a deep slumber. The music was soft and sedated when he awakened, now fully grown into an adult. From there, another responsibility was thrust upon his shoulders: to awaken the sages and defeat the evil king. And so the hero set off, vowing to undo the unintentional mistake he had made by letting the evil king into the golden realm. The melody was triumphant and heroic once more as he traversed the conquered kingdom, awakening the sages with the aid of a mysterious warrior from the shadows. However, when his task was complete, that warrior revealed himself to be none other than the princess herself. Their long-awaited reunion was cut short however by the king of evil, who kidnapped the princess and challenged the hero to a duel for the fate of the land. The music rose in an intense crescendo as a fierce battle commenced but in the end the hero triumphed. In guilt for causing his many hardships, the princess sent him back to his original time to regain his lost childhood, as the melody flowed lightly and peacefully.

A child once more, the hero watched sadly as his loyal companion left him but he returned to the young princess nonetheless and warned her of what could happen if the desert king was not stopped immediately. The two children put an end to his evil ways and the desert king was imprisoned, ensuring that the land would see peace for quite some time. However, despite many happy days spent with the princess, the hero was not content. And, in time, he left the land he had saved twice, to search for his missing friend and loyal companion.

His search for the fairy led him to a dense wood, the mystery of it echoing in the song clearly. However, within its inky depths, he was assailed by a mask-wearing imp and was cursed into a weaker form. He chased the imp to a strange new world, which was in danger of being destroyed by a falling moon within three days. The music became ominous and fast paced with each passing second as the hero raced to regain his true form within that small timeframe. And when he did, he resolved to save the doomed world out of the kindness of his heart. Traveling with a new, headstrong fairy, the young hero overcame many trails and helped many troubled souls in his quest. Calling upon the land's protector giants, he encountered the imp, possessed by the mask's dark power, and stopped the moon. But the demon within the mask beckoned him to fight it, even giving him a strange and unnerving mask to make the battle more even. Knowing that his own strength was not great enough to defeat the demon, the hero put the mask on, and was filled with its corrupting power and strength. He defeated the demon and restored peace to the land, though he barely managed to maintain enough control to take the mask off and return to normal. The song grew calm and peaceful as he parted ways with the new land and his new friends and returned to both his home land and its princess.

The lullaby resumed, only it was deeper and more flowing as the hero and the princess cultivated a strong, youthful bond. With each passing day, they spent more and more time together and eventually, they began to journey out across the land in all its splendor. Seven quiet, peaceful, blissful years passed, in which the two of them came to be the very best of friends. As they grew up together, their various adventures took them far and wide across the kingdom and at one point, they even traveled to the other land that the hero had saved.

Their unexpected last few days of joy played out all too quickly as the song grew into one of ominous wickedness as a merciless sorceress captured both of them, endlessly seeking the golden power that dwelled within both of them. From that moment on, the hero's memories became much more vivid and painful, giving him the impression that these events were quite recent. The sorceress bribed him into gathering four dark relics for her in exchange for the princess' life. But in the end this was for nothing. The music rose to a dangerous hight as the sorceress possessed the princess and forced the hero to fight his best friend, or rather, his true love. In the end, the sorceress triumphed over him, nearly killing him as she stole the golden relic and ravaged the once beautiful land.

The melody became soft and doleful as he reunited with the princess, disguised as the warrior once more. The two of them fled to the desert and received instruction from the sages, who told them of their ultimate, cruel destiny. They were to follow in the footsteps of their ancient ancestors and defeat the powerful sorceress, restoring peace and light to the land. To this end, the hero reclaimed the blade of evil's bane and met with the mysterious spirit that dwelled inside of it. However, the song took a tragic and heartbreaking turn as the farm girl, the hero's dear friend, died in his arms because he of his own inability to protect her when she needed it most. And, as he mourned over this loss, a small ray of hope arrived in the form of the princess, as they finally proclaimed their love for one another. The lullaby resumed in a gentle, romantic tone, as they held onto each other and imagined an impossible world where the could live together in peace forever more.

But the hero knew that it was not to be. The only way to defeat the sorceress once and for all, or so he was told, was through the frightening power of the soul-corrupting mask that he had used to defeat the demon seven years prior. Though he was apprehensive about it, fearing that he would ultimately fall victim to its corruption, he had made a promise to both the beloved princess and the fallen farm girl that he would free the land from its darkened bondage. And so, the hero and the princess retreated to the land where it was hidden away, though the music became momentarily spritely as he reunited with his old fairy companion. He reclaimed the mask, but the song quickly turned dark and treacherous as the sorceress invaded the land in pursuit of the hero and the princess, destroying and murdering hundreds of innocents without reason. With a firm resolve to stop the wicked woman, the hero put the mask on for a second time and was almost overwhelmed by its power. Though he chased the sorceress away, he almost lost himself to the mask's corruption, only to return to himself upon the gentle touch of the princess.

Knowing what they had to do, the couple left the destroyed land and returned home, only to find it in ruins. The song's rhythm picked up and turned into a determined march as the princess led her loyal troops into battle against the sorceress' shadowy army. They broke through her barricade of darkness and the hero and the princess moved forward to face the ultimate evil. In the final battle against the sorceress, the princess' life seemed to be lost, much to the great distress of the hero. An intense inner pain filled him as he gazed at her beautiful, unmoving form and his very spirit seemed to be torn to shreds as the music slowed and eventually stopped altogether. Tempting voices had called out to him, encouraging him to fall into the masks corruption and seeing that he had nothing left to live for with his only love gone, he finally did.

For quite some time, he saw nothing at all, as the sorceress held him under her control but it was as she commanded him to murder the princess, who had been restored to life by some unknown means, that his seemingly broken spirit began to fight back. He broke free from her control and, using the full power of the blade of evil's bane, he destroyed the wicked woman once and for all. Yet throughout the battle, his spirit had been at war with another: the spirit of the mask itself. They warred for control over his physical form in a battle that was so intense and powerful that neither one could win in the end. As the music rose to a full, dramatic crescendo, both spirits were ultimately destroyed by the other, and, as the music came to a complete and sudden stop, the hero's spirit was severed and everything went completely black.

With the last of his memories restored to him, the hero gasped in shock as he opened his eyes wide, finally out of the dreamlike world that the music had kept him under. He once again stood within the temple, with the girl in white staring at him intently. She placed her harp aside and remained silent as he regained his lost breath and tried to cope with all he had just seen. And, when he finally met eye contact with her again, the girl asked him her previous question. "Now," she said calmly. "Who are you?"

The hero's expression hardened as he stood up straight and looked her straight in the eyes, this time knowing the answer beyond a shadow of a doubt. "I'm Link," he said firmly, reflecting back on all of the memories of his life that he had just seen played out for him.

A ghost of a smile appeared on the girl's lips as she pressed him for the answer once again. "Who?" she asked inquisitively, clearly wanting more than just his name.

"Link," he repeated sternly. "The Hero of Time."

The girl smiled fully and nodded, pleased with his answer. "Indeed," she said. "You are..." Her smile suddenly became sad as she sighed wistfully, he tone changing from calm to reminiscent. "But you are not my Link..."

The hero looked at her curiously, his mind full of many questions of course, but there was one that was the most pressing at the moment: the identity of this girl, who had appeared in his dreams on more than one occasion recently. "Who are you?" he asked, repeating her infamous question.

The girl smiled warmly once more. "In the same way," she began cryptically. "I am Zelda. But... I am not your Zelda. For the sake of simplicity, you may call me Hylia."

Link frowned at her, clearly confused, but he remembered something nonetheless. "Hylia?" he asked. "Aren't you Princess Zelda's ancestor?"

"I am," Hylia nodded. "I'm the human incarnation of the ancient goddess and the first ruler of Hyrule. And I can tell by the look on your face that you fear for the Princess of Destiny's wellbeing. Don't worry about her. She is safe and so is the land of Hyrule. In fact, it is because of her that we are gathered here in the first place."

"What do you mean?" the hero asked.

The goddess glanced up at the sunlight flooding into the temple from above. "As you now know, your soul and spirit were both destroyed alongside the spirit of the Fierce Deity. Your memories and your essence faded into nonexistence and only your physical shell remained. Your beloved was heartbroken over your loss, and knowing that both of you had suffered greatly, the golden goddesses sent the Triforce to her. She touched it, and wished for two things: the first was the restoration of all of the life lost throughout Hyrule during Veran's conquest. And the other, was the restoration of both your soul and the spirit of the hero."

Link smiled as he heard this, knowing that he owed everything he had and everything he was to Zelda. After all, if it wasn't for her selfless wish, he would have been lost forever. But now, he would be able to go home and live out his life with the princess like they had dreamed and thought was impossible. Against all the odds, hope and light had finally triumphed over evil. That thought became even better when he realized that Hyrule would be restored to its former glory. The ravaged land would see the peace that the two of them had fought so hard to achieve. All at once, it seemed as though everything would be alright. Yet... one thing still bothered the hero amidst all of this good news, something that he needed to know.

"Wait," he said, his smile fading. "What about the Fierce Deity's Mask?"

Hylia frowned and held her hand out. Out of nowhere, the soul-corrupting mask in question appeared floating above it. Its very presence unnerved Link, knowing that he had lost himself to it completely but had triumphed over it at the same time. "Since the spirit of the Fierce Deity was destroyed beside the spirit of the hero, the goddesses have brought them both back into existence together," she answered succinctly.

The hero's brow furrowed in worry. He couldn't make much sense of what the goddess had just said. Why would the goddesses bring back the Fierce Deity's spirit at all, considering its great, frightful power? "Why?" Link asked her, still keeping his gaze locked on the mask. "I thought the Fierce Deity was evil..."

Hylia gave him a stern look. "The Fierce Deity is not evil," she said firmly and defensively. "Its power is great, yes, but its not a dark one. The spirit of the Deity was once one of an ancient hero. He was from Termina, chosen by the land's protector goddess, Terminus, to vanquish the wicked demon Majora. He defeated the demon and it was sealed away within the mask you know as Majora's Mask. And yet... Terminus' hero was wounded in the battle. Majora's evil touch corrupted the hero, granting him great power. The demon hoped to conquer the Deity under his control and for a short time, its treacherous plan succeeded. Majora used the Deity to cause great destruction across Termina and commanded his servant to hunt down Terminus and slay her. In desperation, she begged the goddesses to send someone who could subdue her former hero and so they guided my hero and I to the plagued land. My hero and Terminus' hero fought each other in a fierce battle, one that ended in both triumph and turmoil. The Deity was defeated, but just barely. In an attempt to free him from Majora's control, Terminus and I created the Song of Healing to revive his soul... But it only partially achieved its purpose. We managed to free the Deity from Majora's wrath, but we could not restore him to his former self. He became a lost soul, one that carried only one lone heroic desire and purpose: to endlessly fight against evil indiscriminately in the pursuit of justice. To ensure that the great power of the Fierce Deity would not be misused, Terminus sealed his spirit away into a mask and hid it away from the grasp of mortals.

"However, there was another, even more dire consequence came from the battle. Though I didn't find out until it was almost too late, my hero was wounded by the Deity and was also filled with Majora's corruption. Because of the strength of the spirit of the hero, he did not fall to it immediately, but rather gradually. But as the Dark Interlopers laid siege across the land and sought to take my life and the Triforce, they took advantage of my hero's growing power and oncoming corruption. Like Majora, they thought they could submit him to their evil bidding. They... They tried to use him against me..." Hylia stopped short and kept her gaze focused on the ground at her feet, her face awash with pain at the awful memory. "But in the end, they could not win. The spirit of the hero and the Deity combined were too strong for them to overpower and before he could be corrupted completely, my hero broke free and together, we defeated the interlopers and peace was restored to the land. However, Majora knew that he had not fallen victim to its corruption and so it cursed the spirit of the hero, vowing that it would one day be conquered and corrupted once and for all by the demon's might. From that moment on, the spirit of the hero and the spirit of the Deity became forever connected to each other and they shall exist together for all time. Only one with the spirit of the hero has the strength of heart to wield the incredible might of the Fierce Deity, but at the risk of loosing his own soul to its power. It was only through the strength of your heart and spirit that you were able to defeat the sorceress of shadows using its deadly might."

Link frowned as Hylia finished up her tale. He knew that the very thing she had just told him had happened to him, but he could not help but feel ashamed of his choice to use the Fierce Deity's Mask. His supposedly "strong" spirit had done nothing for him at the most important moment and because of that, he had lost himself to its corruption. It was only because of Zelda's wish that he had been restored from the brink of complete destruction at all. He had almost let her die because of his own physical vulnerability and at the moment where all hope had seemed lost, he put the mask on as a form of escape from his great heartache. "No," the hero said solemnly and morosely. "I wasn't strong. I was weak. I couldn't save Zelda and I let my love for her blind me from what was equally as important: saving Hyrule. That's why Veran was able to take control of me."

Hylia looked at him with deep pity. "Oh Link..." she said compassionately, tears almost falling from her azure eyes. "Do not ever think that love is a weakness. True love for another is perhaps the greatest strength one can have. It is greater than physical power or might and it is wiser than any knowledge one could gain. It is the very essence of courage itself. True courage is not theabsence of fear. Rather it is one's willingness to face those fears for the sake of those they love. That is why the spirit of the hero is such a great asset. So strong is its threshold of noble love for the land of Hyrule and for those with the blood of the goddess that it echoes across the ages and stands strong in each generation that needs it, tirelessly fighting for the sake of ensuring that they have a peaceful future."

Link listened to Hylia's comforting words and found truth in them. Perhaps more than anything else, he loved both Hyrule and its princess deeply. So much that he had vowed to do anything in his power to redeem them from the darkness including giving up everything he had: his soul, his spirit, his memories, even his very essance. And it was because of that willingness to do whatever it took to ensure their safety, that almost instinctual drive and determination, that he had found the strength that he thought he had lacked. "Thank you," he said to Hylia with a small smile, sincerely grateful for her much needed words of encouragement.

"You're welcome," the girl said with a warm smile. However, her kind grin gradually faded before she continued. "And yet... even though the spirit of the hero is filled with the greatest strength and courage of the heart that one could hope to attain... it comes at a great price... The life of a hero is a very difficult one, filled with many challenges and much turmoil. Any soul who takes up the mantle of the hero must have an unbreakable spirit. Those that do can accomplish their heroic destiny, but it does not mean that if will be free of consequence. From the very moment a hero takes on his quest, his innocence is lost forever, no matter how old they are. In your case, your innocence died when you were still quite a young child, the very second you took up a blade and left the shelter of your childhood home. And from that day on you were never the same again. The weight of the world rests on the shoulders of those who have the spirit of the hero. Countless lives depend on their success over the forces of darkness. Many heroes go through trials that would break a normal person almost instantly. Throughout their lives they endure untold suffering and struggles but they persevere despite it. Fate is never kind to those with the spirit of the hero. Many heroes have love that is never returned and they die alone, embittered by their experiences. Some are hated by those they vow to protect and never see any reward or glory for their selfless efforts as their names fade out of history. Many, such as was the case of my very first hero, experience turmoil that is meant to strengthen their will, yet they die in battle, never getting to reap the rewards of their great hardship. But perhaps the rarest type of heroes are the ones who do live to see happiness and love, who fulfill their destines and are allowed to see the benefits of their struggles. But these are the heroes who suffer for the longest amount of time. For the duration of their lives, they are haunted by their dark and tarnished pasts, by the terrible things they have seen and done. And in the end, they die with regrets that they can never ease... And, at the end of your own life, Hero of Time, you will meet the same fate. I can promise you that you will have many happy days with your beloved but even so, your dreams will be filledwith visions of the past, painful experiences from your journeys will never leave you. And at the end of your days, you will be left with lingering regrets of things that you will never be able to change. However, unlike most heroes who die in this manner, the goddesses have decided to make an exception for you because of both your great suffering and sacrifice for the land of Hyrule. Indeed, you will still die with regrets, but you will be able to set them to ease in time. Centuries after you have physically passed away, your soul shall remain and in those days, Hyrule will once again face grave danger. A new hero will arise and your role will be to pass on the knowledge of combat that you will gain throughout your life to your successor. And in such a way, the spirit of the hero will extend across the reaches of time to ensure the safety of the land once more..."

Link was clearly taken aback by all that Hylia was telling him. The truth about the nature of the spirit of the hero was extensive in and of itself, but the details of his posthumous destiny were both amazing and slightly daunting. Despite getting to live out his days with Zelda peacefully, he would still die with regrets that would keep him bound to life for centuries. And yet, the goddesses had decided to reward for all of his tribulation by giving him the chance to set them right in the distant future. He was struck with awe by the very thought, but nonetheless he simply nodded, accepting whatever fate had in store for him.

Hylia returned his nod and smiled wistfully once more. Still holding the Fierce Deity's Mask over her palm, she glanced over at it and changed the subject. "From this point on, the spirit of the hero and the spirit of the Deity must exist together to sustain one another. For this reason, the Deity will no longer take the form of a mask," she said as the mask vanished away completely. "Instead, it will survive only in a spiritual form, much like the spirit of the hero does. Because the power of the Fierce Deity is the only thing that can destory the malice of the Dark Interlopers and their descendants completely, it shall be entrusted to the hero who will rise up to defeat Veran's descendant, whom she vowed would destory the spirit of the hero and the blood of the goddess in her stead. Like both you and my hero, the new hero will face corruption of his soul. If the hero can conquer the power of the Deity, then he can use its great power to forever rid the land of the threat of the Dark Interlopers. If he can't... then the spirit of the hero will be lost and Hyrule will fall into darkness forever." Hylia sighed somewhat apprehensively, but even so, she repositioned her harp and began to turn around, glancing back at Link before speaking again. "But... those are worries for another era," she said with a small grin. "For now, I believe that there is a princess who would very much like to see you again..." With a small, light giggle, the goddess noticed the hero's clear, jubilant smile. "Come with me," she said, turning around and heading through the large stone doorway behind her. Link followed closely behind her as she led him into the temple's back room, a serene place decorated with encroaching vines and ancient stone. Towards the very end of the room was a pedestal where the blade of evil's bane itself was lodged, its pure metal glistening in the sunlight. Hylia came to a stop behind it and silently instructed Link to stand before the pedistal.

"Like the Fierce Deity, the Master Sword is a blade that has always been and always will be connected to the spirit of the hero," Hylia said contemplatively. "I created the foundation for this sword long ago but only upon being forged in three Sacred Flames by my hero was it sanctified and gained the power to destory evil. The spirit who lives inside of the sword, the being called Fi, ensures that the Master Sword keeps its sacred powers. It is a blade born out of power, wisdom and courage and so long as there is a hero to wield it, it will serve its master for all eternity. Link, Hero of Time... draw this ancient blade once more and return to the world of the present. Return to your home and return to your beloved." Hylia began to strum a new melody upon her harp as the hero stepped forward to take the Master Sword, one that mixed the triumphant overtone of the Song of the Hero and the gentle flow of Zelda's Lullaby together in a song that spoke of great love, passion and romance. "Return to yourself!"

As the goddess relayed her final words, Link pulled the Master Sword out of its ancient pedistal and was enveloped in light as he was returned to Hyrule, ready to reunite with both the kingdom he would always fight for and the princess he would always love at long last.

* * *

_Zelda smiled, for perhaps the first time all day, as her and Link tried to capture stray fireflies in the open plains of Hyrule Field. Her day had certainly not started out this pleasant, as she had to deal with the incestant bickerings and complaints of the council men once again. And yet, all of her worries seemed to flow away when the hero arrived to escort her out to the fields in the last few rays of the setting sun. Link always seemed to have that effect on her, no matter what. She could be upset or frustrated about pretty much anything and he was always able to put a smile on her face, even when she was in the most bitter of moods. Perhaps more than anything else, she cherished her time spent with him and wished for it to last forever, even though it could not. But for the moment, she could show him her clear gratitude for all of the good times he had shown her over the past few years. "Hey Link..." Zelda said with a soft smile as he turned to face her. "I... I just wanted to say thank you for this... For everything really... If it wasn't for you, I'd have probably gone insane by now from boredom and putting up with the concil."_

_The hero laughed good-naturedly. "Its nothing, Zelda," he said modestly, but the princess pressed on nonetheless._

_"No, but it is..." she said, stepping a bit closer to him. "Link... I want you to know... just how important you are to me... You're the first real friend I've ever_ _had... In fact, you're my absolute best friend. And I..." Zelda stopped short when her eyes met Link's expectant gaze and she knew that it was too soon for her to say what she really wanted to, though she knew that one day, the confession would come easily and she had a feeling that he would return it. "I really care about you..." she trailed off, knowing that while it wasn't exactly the same as what she had intended to say, it was close enough for now._

_Link returned her warm smile and he knew that he felt the same. He had never felt so strongly about someone before he met Zelda. While he wasn't sure if it was anything beyond a close friendship yet, he knew that he enjoyed every second he spent in her company. He took great pleasure in simply showing her the sights of Hyrule, watching as her blue eyes lit up with excitement and joy. They could talk to each other about pretty much anything and they had shared secrets with one another that they would never dare to expose to another living soul. And perhaps one day, they would take their relationship past a mere friendship and become something so much deeper. But for now, the two of them were simply content in their innocent companionship as they spent the lofty, blissful carefree days together. And the hero made that very apparent when he returned the princess' kind sentiments. "I care about you too, Zelda," he said sincerely as the two entered into a fond and gentle embrace. "And, I always will."_

* * *

**Another fairly quick update? A chapter thats not over 7,000 words? All these mind-boggling Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword references?! WHAT?! hahaha anyway, things are wrapping up pretty nicely, huh? I'm a pretty happy camper myself because I only have like 1 real chapter left and then there's the epilogue! yay! Plus, I was able to write this chapter with my brand new iPad keyboard (my laptop is STILL not working), which made it 100% easier on me! I hope that this chapter answered a few of the questions that you guys have been asking in the reviews! Keep em coming and if you have any additional questions about anything in the story or about the future installments in this trilogy, leave em in the reviews and I'll answer them in the afterword! So I guess that's it! REVIEW as always and Until Next Time!**


	37. Dawn of a New Day

_Chapter 36_

For an indefinite amount of time, the land of Hyrule was completely silent and still. Not a sound from either man or beast was heard, as all who were still somehow alive after Veran's wrath was poured upon the land stared into the pure white skies above them and held their breaths, watching to see what would happen next. The skies had turned from a vile red to an ambiguous white in almost an instant as the sorceress met her end, but the people all seemed to sense that it was not over yet. Their kingdom still wept and mourned over the heavy losses and destruction it had suffered. And so, having no idea what to do next, they looked to the heavens and prayed to the goddesses for mercy, patiently waiting for an answer.

The downtrodden people received that answer in the form of three sacred lights, shooting across the white skies and turning them a momentary bright gold. The golden goddesses themselves descended upon the mortal realm and healed its great suffering in response to the princess' wish. Din, with her strong and powerful arms, revived the decimated landscape and made Hyrule's soil lush and fertile once more. Nayru, pouring out her great wisdom and justice upon the land, reestablished the broken natural laws of the kingdom and rebuilt the destroyed man-made structures and dwellings. And finally, Farore, with her rich and courageous soul, restored all of the many lives that had been lost during Veran's conquest to full health and covered the land in its true natural beauty once more. But the goddesses did not stop with Hyrule; knowing that Termina had suffered just as much as its twin land, they poured also out their providence upon it, recovering its lost life and bringing equal peace to it as well. And, when their labors were completed, they returned to their holy realm and scattered the pieces of their golden relic to their respective bearers once more.

When goddesses departed, they left both lands covered in an aura of rebirth and rejuvenation. As the people of Hyrule realized that their kingdom and their loved ones had been revived and returned to them, they rejoiced in the blessings that the goddesses had poured out upon them after the insurmountable hardships they had experienced over the past few weeks. Their triumphant and jubilant cheers could be heard across the land as they returned to their once-destroyed homes and reunited with those they had thought they would never see again. And, perhaps the most heartfelt reunion was to happen within the very place where the most tragic parting had occurred.

A bright, glorious new dawn rose over the hills of Hyrule, the invigorated sun peaking over the rolling crests and covering the renewed landscape in fresh morning light. This natural golden glow spilled through the large window of the Temple of Time's sword chamber, filling the area that a fierce and violent battle had recently taken place in with a calm and gentle peace. The Master Sword shimmered within its ancient pedestal bathed in this heavenly light as it took on a soft, holy blue glow. This light intensified as the Hero of Time reappeared within the empty room from his meeting with Hylia, restored to his former appearance instead of the statue-like form of the Fierce Deity. After being momentarily blinded by the Master Sword's pure light upon his return, Link opened his eyes to find that he was once again within the Temple, as the closed Door of Time unceremoniously slid open behind him. Looking up into the light that poured in from the lofty window, the hero let out a sigh of relief, knowing that Veran and her tyranny were finally gone. And yet, something was missing... or rather, _someone_...

However, before he could actually even glance around for the princess, another voice called out from behind him. "Link!" Navi cried happily as she flew towards him in a burst of blue light. The fairy had been no exception when Farore had restored all the life that had ben lost throughout the land, especially considering Navi's selfless sacrifice and how it had aided in Hyrule's salvation. "You're... you're OK! I thought... I thought you were gone! Oh... Praise the goddesses!" Small, sparkling tears of elation fell from her eyes and she came to a rest upon his shoulder, not wanting to leave her precious perch this time, lest she loose him again.

The hero smiled immediately when he saw her, though he didn't know it was her who had brought Zelda back from the brink of death. "It's good to see you too, Navi," he said with a small laugh. He looked around the surrounding area for a moment before turning his attention back to the window as his smile faded. "But... where's-"

Link was cut off by the sudden warmth that sparked on the back of his hand. Glancing down, he noticed that the mark of the Triforce of Courage was back, as if Veran had never stolen it from him at all. But even more importantly, it signified the arrival of the bright flash of light that suddenly shined throughout the entire temple. It came from a glorious figure figure that appeared floating before the high window, enveloped in the sacred golden glow. The hero shielded his eyes from its sheer brightness, until the light dimmed and the figure's identity became clear to him. "Zelda..." he sighed happily, smiling calmly as he took in her beauty once more. No longer was she clad in the rough, ragged set of clothes that she had been wearing; instead she wore her full, elegant royal gown, complete with her immaculate tiara, making her look like a true, regal princess once more. She seemed to shine like the sun in all its splendor and her eyes were shut in a peaceful, contented expression. The only thing that seemed out of place about her at all was her blonde hair, still trimmed short as it had been when Veran had sloppily chopped it just to torture her, though even that did little to distract from the princess' natural loveliness. And despite that, Link was still captivated by her flawless beauty as he watched her slowly descend from her spot on high like an angel of light as the warm glow finally faded from her. He stepped forward to catch her as she gently landed in his arms, apparently unconscious, but safe nonetheless. The hero continued to hold onto her softly as he kneeled to the ground with her in his grasp and looked into her tranquil, beautiful face, overjoyed to simply have her in his arms once again, even after he thought he never would. And from now on, he would have the promise of that satisfaction for the rest of his life.

With a small groan, Zelda's eyes fluttered open as she felt the returned Triforce of Wisdom on the back of her hand begin to resonate as well. And, she woke up to a sight that made her heart flutter with joy. Her beloved hero, whom she had thought that she would never see again, was holding her in his arms and smiling warmly at her. The goddesses had indeed granted her wish, and she couldn't have been happier. "Link.." she whispered softly as she reached up a hand to gently touch his face, confirming that all of this was real, much to her amazement. The hero put his hand over hers and gave it a slight squeeze as he returned her blissful smile. For the longest time, both of them were silent as they gazed into each other's faces lovingly, simply taking in the incredible fact that even after everything they had been through and all the suffering they had endured, they were finally together again and they always would be.

And yet, as contented as both of them were, Zelda noticed something different about her hero. Though he was indeed restored from the frightful form of the Fierce Deity, a small shred of its appearance still remained with him: amidst his normal blonde hair was a thick lock of the Deity's silver-white hair which stood out significantly. As the princess stared at it, she realized that this, along with the fact that her own hair was still severed short, must have been what Din had meant when she said that both of them would be forever marked. But even so, she couldn't help but smile solemnly, knowing that despite this reminder of their hardships, he was still so handsome and perfect in her eyes.

Without a word, Link helped Zelda pull herself up into a sitting position, though they did not break eye contact for a moment. Neither of them hesitated to fall into a soft, tender embrace that lasted for several minutes as both of them took in the other's comforting warmth. Zelda was the first to speak as tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. "Oh Link..." she said quietly. "I thought I'd never see the real you again. I... I thought I had lost you forever..."

Link drew the princess in closer to him as she rested her head against his shoulder and sighed sweetly. "I thought I had lost you too," he said with a soft smile. "But if it wasn't for you then we wouldn't even be here anymore. You saved my life. I can't thank you enough for that."

Zelda's smile faded slightly as the two of them rose their feet, still in each other's embrace, but she found that she couldn't frown completely. "No, you saved mine," she said, with levity in her tone. "It was you who defeated Veran in the first place. Clearly, _I_ owe you _my_ life..."

The hero let out a small laugh as he rolled his eyes at her, sensing her joking manner. "Are we really going to get into this argument again?" he said with a clever smile.

"Hm," the princess mused with a smirk. "I guess there's really no point to. I think its safe to say that both of us saved Hyrule once more... But if you insist on thanking me... well, the only thing that I could possibly want is the love of the most noble hero in the land of Hyrule."

Link felt his cheeks redden slightly at the compliment but he nodded nonetheless, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. "Only if I can have the love of its beautiful princess in return," he said playfully.

Zelda's warm, melodious laughter echoed throughout the temple. "Well, I think that can be arranged..." she said as she took one of his hands. For a moment or two, they simply smiled at one another, so glad that they would never have to be apart again. Gradually, however, both of them turned their gaze towards the Master Sword, proudly resting in its pedestal, waiting to be used in a future era. "I can't believe it..." the princess said as her smile finally faded. "After everything we've been through... After all the pain, the suffering, the heartache... Even after both of us basically died... We're still alive... Veran's gone, and Hyrule is peaceful once more... Its truly a miracle..."

The hero nodded as the two of them gazed into each other's eyes once more. "You're right," he said quietly as their faces slowly began to move closer together. "Its over... Its finally over..." Any other words the two of them could have possibly said at the moment completely faded away as their lips touched and, in the blissful rays of the new day's sunlight, the Princess of Destiny and the Hero of Time, finally reunited after all they had been through, kissed once more.

* * *

Link and Zelda walked out of the Temple of Time hand-in-hand, into the bright morning sunshine of its peaceful courtyard. And as they left the doorway of the temple, they immediately came to a stop to take in their surroundings in amazement. Castle Town was no longer the smoldering pile of ruins they had seen the last time they had been there. Instead, every building stood erect and stately, and to the north, the castle's ivory towers rose up to glisten in the sunlight once more. Everything was as it had been before Veran had ever descended upon the land, but now, there was a fresh new feeling of rebirth put off by every living thing. The lush grass and lovely flowers of the temple's courtyard accentuated the brilliant blue skies above. Light, cheerful birdsong hung on the warm, springtime air and the soft rumble of man-made sounds coming from the nearby town made it clear the princess and the hero that life had returned to Hyrule in its fullest form. Once again, the kingdom was filled with its former glory.

For a few minutes, the two of them stood there simply taking in all of the peaceful sensations that they had not felt for such a long time. That is, until they were drawn out of them by a sudden, surprised voice coming from the courtyard's entrance. "Your highness!" the familiar voice exclaimed as Link and Zelda turned to its source.

"Impa!" the princess gasped in shock and elation as she ran to embrace her guardian, whom she thought she had lost forever. "You're... You're alive!"

"So are you!" the Sheikah laughed warmly. "But I should have expected no less from the two of you... I praise that goddesses that you are safe, princess. That both of you are safe..." She said, giving a kind smile and a nod to Link.

"And all of Hyrule is safe as well, right?" Zelda asked hopefully.

"Indeed it is," Impa confirmed, turning to the path the led to Caste Town's square. "Come and see for yourselves. Princess, all of the people wish to know how you fare."

The princess' smile widened at the thought of reuniting with her precious people and both her and the hero were quick to follow the Sheikah into town, where thick crowds of people had gathered to move back into their rebuilt homes. As soon as they caught sight of Zelda however, their already loud cheers of revelry became deafening. All of the citizens were glad to see that their beloved monarch was alive and well and of course, they immediately expected a victory speech from her. And so, Impa continued to hurriedly lead the princess towards the main square to deliver her speech, but before Link could follow them, he heard a unmistakably familiar voice call his out his name through the clamor of the bustling crowd.

But before the hero could even turn to face the once dead farm girl, she had already crashed into him recklessly and locked him in a tight embrace. "Link!" Malon cried happily as he returned her hug.

"Malon!" he exclaimed in return, overjoyed to see that his dear friend was restored to life as well. "I missed you!"

She giggled cheerfully as her cheeks reddened a bit. "Wow, fairy boy, I didn't know you were so smitten with me!" she joked as they both shared a goodnatured laugh. "Well, what do know?" she said with a broad smile as she glanced around at the celebrating town. "It looks like you kept your promise to me after all... You saved Hyrule!"

Link looked around at the smiling faces of the people who had previously been so oppressed and realized that Malon was right. It was through the arduous efforts of both him and the princess that Hyrule was free once more. Though the hero was quite modest about his accomplishments, he decided to take pride in this fact just this once. "Yeah..." he said with a small smile, glad that at the very least, he had fulfilled his promise to the farm girl. "I guess you're right..."

"You know, Link..." Malon said, glancing down with a slight blush. "I... I still love you... and I probably always will... But... I think there might be one person who loves you a little bit more than me..." With a small nod, she motioned to the front of the square, where Zelda was rising to a makeshift podium to make her speech. Link couldn't help but stare at her eternal beauty, noticing how very regal and majestic she looked in her royal gown. Admittedly, he was slightly intimidated, knowing that being in love with a princess would not be easy considering the tight social customs of Hyrule's nobility, but the hero wasn't about to let something as minor as that keep them apart. Especially after everything they had been through, he wouldn't dream of letting anything stand between them ever again.

After saying goodbye and parting ways with Malon, Link pushed his way through the crowds towards the front so he could hear whatever stirring speech the princess was about to give. Zelda caught sight of him as she looked over the multitude and motioned for him to join her on the podium alongside Impa as the people began to quiet down so she could speak. When the hero had come to stand beside her and an attentive silence had fallen over them, she took in a deep breath and began her message, already knowing what she wanted to say to them.

"My people!" she called out to them, unable to hide the clear smile on her face. "Today, we stand in a new Hyrule. A Hyrule that has been reborn out of the ashes of pain, struggle, war and hardship. A glorious light shines over our kingdom, illuminating everything in its heavenly glow and restoring life to all who had lost it. You have been reunited with your loved ones and your homes, even though you thought that they had been forever lost. Many of you might be confused amidst your elation as to how this has happened... And I will not hide the truth from you. What I am about to tell you is very true. It is a tale of a sorceress' scorn and the goddesses' mercy. It is a history that connects two kingdoms together and binds the destinies of two souls to each other across the sands of time. It is a story of immense tragedy and unbridled love. And... it is one that I have experianced firsthand... It is a history that the goddesses have decreed that we never forget throughout our generations. And so I tell it to you that you will always remember the bloodstained history of our land and you will know its future path."

After a brief moment of stated silence, Zelda began to recount the events of the past few weeks in the fullest detail. She started at the very beginning, explaining the background history of the Dark Interlopers and the goddess and her hero, as well as introducing the people of Hyrule to the land of Termina and the history that the goddesses had told her of it. From there, she told the people of Veran and her attack on the kingdom seventeen years ago, followed by her capture of the three Triforce wielders. She told them of the all suffering that her and Link had to endure as part of their predetermined destiny, including the sages, their flight to Termina, the Fierce Deity's Mask and everything in between, even mentioning their star-crossed romance and how it got them through the worst moments of it. She recounted the people's war against Veran and of the intense final battle with her, leading up to her ultimate demise. And, she even told them of her meeting with the golden goddesses and that all the history she was explaining to them came from their own mouths. And finally, she revealed to them both of her wishes upon the Triforce and of the events that were prophesied to happen in Hyrule's distant future. When she was finished with her tale, the people remained silent for a few moments, taking in all of the heavy information that she had just imparted to them. And then, without a single word, they all lowered themselves to the ground simultaneously, bowing to the princess and the hero who had saved their lives and their kingdom out of gratitude and respect.

Link and Zelda exchanged a glance as the people rose to their feet once more, not sure of what to make of their show of veneration. But even so, the princess recognized it with a soft smile and a nod before addressing the crowd once more. "And so, in light that all that has happened, of all we have lost and found once more, let us praise the goddesses for their mercy and providence! Let us celebrate in our victory over darkness! Be proud on this day, my beloved people, for the peace and prosperity that you all deserve has been reached! Long live Hyrule!"

The people repeated her triumphant cheer along with shouts of "Long live Princess Zelda!" and "Praise be to Din, Nayru and Farore!" The princess and the hero smiled warmly to each other once more as the people began to celebrate throughout the town. Both of them knew that even though Hyrule wouldn't always know such joy into the distant future, having it now was good enough for them. It was as Zelda had said: the peace that the two of them had fought so hard for had finally been achieved and for this blissful moment, it was here to stay.

* * *

The people of Hyrule celebrated for the entire day and well into the night. In commemoration of the rebirth of the land, many festivals where held throughout all of the provinces of the kingdom. The Gerudo hosted a great feast within their fortress, opening its exclusive doors to all those who wanted to come. The Gorons partied among the people of Kakariko Village, as did the Zoras, all of them coming together to revel in Hyrule's victory. The Kokiri, though they could not leave the boundaries of the forest, danced among the flittering fairies of the lush wood, rejoicing in the rejuvenation of its natural beauty. The people of Castle Town feasted, danced, and sang in great joy as they spent time with their revived friends and families. All throughout the kingdom was a feeling of levity and mirth that seemed indestructible. All of the woe and sadness of the past several weeks had been healed and washed away into memory as the prospects of their bright futures became clear to them. They no longer had to live in fear. They were a people united, and they hoped to remain that way for centuries to come.

As the festivities carried on late into the night, the people did not notice as their two saviors slipped away from the reveling town. After being met with an abundance of praise and gratitude all day, Link and Zelda were glad to escape by themselves to get some much-needed privacy. As much as they had enjoyed celebrating among the people, they had been apart for most of the day because of it and so, the only thing that either of them wanted at the moment was to be together.

"Link!" Zelda laughed as the hero led her by the hand through the darkness of the castle's front yard. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see..." he said mysteriously, grinning back at her playfully.

The princess pouted jokingly but followed his lead nonetheless as the two of them hurried through the unlocked door that led to the garden. Due to the party within town, the castle grounds were completely empty, giving the two of them ample privacy as they rushed for the inner courtyard, laughing merrily all the way. The lofty glow of the full moon and sky full of bright stars illuminated their path as they reached their destination. They both smiled as they stepped into the picturesque courtyard, memories of younger days flowing into their heads. So much had happened in this small space over the years; this was where they had met and where they had grow into close friends. And yet, this was also where they had parted for a time and where the kingdom's fall into darkness had begun. But now, as the couple looked upon this almost sacred ground, radiating with nighttime beauty as fireflies flittered about and the babbling brooke ran splashed melodiously, all of those things faded away as they embraced that moment and that moment alone.

The two of them walked hand-in-hand up the steps to stand on the platform near the window just as fireworks from Castle Town began exploding high above their heads, showering the area with an array of colors. Both of them watched the show for a moment, until they wrapped their arms around each other and kissed tenderly in the bright glow. When their lips finally parted, they gently touched their heads together and closed their eyes, keeping their close embrace, as the princess began to hum her lullaby contentedly.

"Zelda?" Link asked softly once her song had gradually faded.

"Hm?" she replied easily.

"I need to ask you something..."

"What is it?"

The princess's smile vanished as her hero disbanded their embrace, but even so he still held onto her hand as he kneeled down before her. She looked at him in confusion for a moment until he looked up at her with a loving smile, setting all her wonderings to rest. Before he even said anything, she knew what he was going to do, but she decided to let him anyway, wanting to cherish this moment for all it was worth. "Princess Zelda," he said with chivalrous, yet affectionate confidence. "Will you marry me?"

A small tear of joy slipped down Zelda's cheek as her smile widened. "You already asked me that," she said warmly. "And you already know my answer..."

"But that was when neither of us knew if we were going to have the other for another moment," Link said. "Now that we know we can have each other forever, I want to know if you'll let me."

The princess shook her head as more happy tears fell from her eyes. "Oh Link..." she whispered in sheer bliss. "My heart could never belong to anyone else but you... You are my loyal hero and my best friend. I love you. I always have and I always will. Of course, I'll marry you. I don't care what the council men or anyone else could possibly say about it. The goddesses have restored us both so we could be together. I won't let anything tear us apart."

"Neither will I," the hero assured her as he rose to his feet once more. "I promise."

The two of them were silent for another moment as they watched the sky light up with fireworks, holding onto each other closely. In that moment, both of them reflected on all that they had been through recently once more. They had watched the kingdom crumble to the ground all around them and now they somehow stood within the same kingdom, renewed and refreshed. They had been through so much turmoil, so much heartbreak, so much pain, but they had managed to push through all of it to arrive at a glorious new beginning. And the more they thought about it, the more they realized that they never would have made it though all of if it had not been from their strong love and devotion. It was the love that they shared for each other that had kept them going, even when it seemed that all hope had been lost. That love had given them hope when nothing else could have. Hope for a future that they would now finally get to see. It was true that both of them had been bound by their destinies from the very beginning, but now that their great destinies were over, they would be forever bound by something that was by far stronger than fate: love.

As the bright flashes of color continued to reign across the sky, Zelda and Link looked to each other once more, both of them reflecting the other's love in their eyes. "Link?" Zelda whispered with a soft smile.

"Yes?"

"When did you know you were in love with me?"

The hero smiled warmly, remeniscing upon the first time he laid eyes upon the princess long ago. "From the moment I first met you," he said devoutly.

"Same here..." she said, glancing down thoughtfully. "Do you love me?"

"You know I do," he said with a slight laugh, knowing what she was doing. She wanted the most absolute proclaimation of his love that he could give her and he planned on giving her nothing less than what she wanted and deserved. "Do _you_ love _me_?"

"Yes," she said immediately as she began to slowly move her face closer to his. "And... Will you love me... forever?"

He held her close as he whispered his answer in response, before the two of them fell into another passionate kiss. "Yes," he said as he bridged the final short distance between their lips. "I will always love you... Always..."

* * *

** Well folks, we're almost done! All we have left now is the epilogue and then the afterword! I can't believe its almost over! I've worked so hard on this story, pouring blood, sweat and tears into it and i never could have gotten this far if it hadn't been for the encouragement of all of you guys, my loyal readers! Thanks so much for you're reviews and keep em coming! Also, just wanted to point out that the last word of this chapter is actually going to be the title of the direct sequel that I plan on writing for Wisdom and Courage! I bet that makes some of you guys happy! I'll give you all more details about it and the rest of the Bound Destinies Trilogy in the afterword. For now all I can say is REVIEW! Until Next Time! XD**


	38. Epilogue: Wisdom and Courage

_Epilogue: Wisdom and Courage_

With precise pencil strokes, Princess Zelda put the last few finishing touches onto the drawing that she had been crafting upon her canvas. Upon completing her work, she took a step back to admire it. It was a fine piece of art, realistic and pleasing to look at despite its temporary lack of color, though that could always come later. But even more than that, her drawing told a story, something that she had always been good at depicting in her art. And the story that it told was one that weaved its self across time, to something much larger than herself or her people. It was the story of three eras: past, present and future.

It had been a little over a week since the battle with Veran and life in Hyrule had returned to a semblance of normal for most people. But Zelda knew that her own life would most likely never be the same as had been before again and yet, she was fine with that. In her opinion, her life was so much better. Everything seemed so perfect now. Hyrule had settled into a glorious new age of peace and her people still celebrated over that fact daily. She had reclaimed her spot on the throne, and while she had been busy taking care of pressing matters of state over the past few days, she had still managed to find some spare time to pick up a few of her favorite pastimes once more, such as drawing. And of course, there was still something, or rather someone, whom she always made sure she had time for.

With a soft smile, Zelda placed her pencil down and stepped out onto bedroom's balcony. This spot always provided her with a perfect view of the castle's lush yard, as well as the full lay of Castle Town and a few of the nearby crests of the hills of Hyrule Field. The setting sun cast a vibrant orange glow over the valley, as the town began to light up for the evening. The princess let out a wistful sigh as she took in the landscape her restored kingdom, realizing just how peaceful it was in the evening light. Perhaps she had taken advantage of that peace before, but now she fully intended to breathe it in and thrive in it for the rest of her life.

As she was scanning over the southern fields, a light flash of light coming from her hand caught her eye. Glancing down, she smiled as she realized it was coming from the beautiful golden ring that she wore on her finger. Her engagement ring, to be precise. It was composed of three gemstones, arranged into a triangular formation: a ruby, a sapphire, and an emerald, much like her regal tiara. The image of the Triforce was engraved on the other side of the band, adding even more hidden beauty to the already shimmering piece, that still amazed Zelda though she had received it several days ago now. When she had asked Link how he ever could have afforded such an expensive ring, he had simply smiled good-naturedly and told her that it had taken many hours cutting the grass in Hyrule Field to come up with all of the rupees for it. Once again, the princess was reminded of the fact that the hero would go to any length for her sake, as he had proved in the final battle against Veran.

Zelda had tried to turn her mind away from all of the tragedy that had happened, but she found that she just couldn't. She was frequently haunted by nightmares of the past, and often times those nightmares ended much grimmer than they had played out in real life. She was fortunate that she had Link to confide in about them, and he understood exactly how she felt since he had been having them too. The princess wondered if the nightmares would ever truly go away, but by simply being with her hero she found that the pain gradually did.

But even so, the words of the goddesses lingered in the back of her mind daily. The history they had shown her made her wonder just how long this cycle of heroes, princesses, and darkness would go on for. Twice now the Dark Interlopers and their descendants had laid siege on the land and according to the goddesses, they would again in a future time. And so, because this repeating history fascinated her so much, Zelda had decided to depict it in a physical form. Glancing back at her drawing, she reflected back on what Din, Nayru and Farore had shown to her. At the top of the canvas was the goddess Hylia in her mortal form, alongside her hero, fighting against the armies of the Dark Interlopers. The bottom of the drawing showed the hero that would arrive in the future, the Hero of Twilight as the goddesses had called him, depicted in the form of a beast bearing a small imp of the shadows on his back. And, in the center, Zelda had portrayed herself and Link, embroiled in battle against Veran. It was indeed a work of art that spanned three eras, and the princess intended for it to be displayed for all to see. Sometime in the near future, she was going to have it commissioned, painted, and hung within the castle as a reminder of the past and a foretelling of the future.

As she studied the image, she almost didn't notice Impa's arrival in the room until she spoke up. "Princess," she said, bowing respectfully within the doorway.

"Oh, Impa," Zelda turned to her, slightly startled by her sudden appearance. The again, Sheikah were known for their ability to blend in with the shadows. "Come in, please. Do you know if Link's back yet?"

Impa smiled, knowing of the princess' eagerness to see her hero once more. The previous day was the first time the two of them had really been apart since their reunion, as Link had left to go on a brief excursion to Termina to see if it had recovered as well as Hyrule had. Zelda had wanted to go, not wanting to be a moment apart from him, but pressing royal business had kept her strapped down and so the two of them had to say goodbye for a day or two, as much as they didn't want to. "I am sorry, princess," Impa reported. "But he still has not arrived."

Zelda frowned in both worry and frustration. "Oh, for Nayru's sake," she moaned in annoyance. "One would think that the so-called, 'Hero of Time' would actually be able to come home on time!"

The Sheikah could not help but smile and shake her head at the princess' aggravation as the two of them moved to stand on the balcony and look over the scene sprawled outside. "Zelda, you should be more patient with him," she admonished gently. "Especially if the two of you are to be married. Besides, he promised you that he would not be gone for more than two days."

Zelda sighed, straining her eyes to see if she could catch a glimpse of Link riding across the far off hills. "I know, Impa..." she said, glancing down. "But... I can't help but worry about him. Especially since I came so close to loosing him... We're both so blessed and lucky to be alive after all of this... I don't want to loose him ever again..."

"Princess," Impa said solemnly as she gave Zelda a consoling hug. "You both have been through so much, despite being so young... I cannot tell you that every moment in your life from now on will always be perfect and peaceful. But for the moments that are, you must enjoy them for all they are worth. And for this moment in time, you do have him. Make the most of it."

As Impa said these comforting words, Zelda finally caught sight of the hero's silhouette coming over the hills, riding towards the castle in the dying rays of the sun and she smiled, knowing that her guardian's words were truthful. "You're right," she said with renewed confidence. "Thank you Impa..." She trailed off however, as another thought entered her mind. "But... I'm still worried..."

"About what, your highness?"

The princess took in a deep breath, keeping her eyes locked on her engagement ring. "What if... What if the people don't approve of our union?" she asked. "What if they don't want to see their princess married to a peasant with no recorded background history, even though he's already told me that he wants nothing to do with any of Hyrule's politics? I mean, I love him, but I love my people as well... What should I do?"

Impa turned to cast a glance upon the still-bustling town below. "Princess, tell me; when you told the people of your struggle against Veran, did they bow to only you, or did they bow to both of you?"

"Both of us..." Zelda said, though she wasn't sure where the Sheikah was going with this. "But... How is that important?"

"Its important because it shows that they respect him, just as much as they respect you," Impa said. "The idea of a noble hero is a novel one to the people of Hyrule. It always has been and it always will be. In all of the countless legends of the land, the tales that are the most passed down are the ones that feature conquering heroes, who save the kingdom from the forces of darkness. And the stories most beloved by the people are those in which, at the end, the hero is rewarded for his efforts with the love and the hand of the kingdom's beautiful princess. It is something that has happened before many times in Hyrule's long history, starting with Hylia and her hero, who were said to have eloped in the midst of the war against the Interlopers. I can already tell from what the people have been saying over the past few days about both of you that they will accept the news of your union without hesitation. Many of them have already started spreading rumors that the two of you are engaged, even though the announcement is not going to be until next week. I do not think for a moment that the people of Hyrule with be against this. If anything, they will provide both of you with their whole hearted support."

Zelda smiled as she realized that Impa's words were true. Without even trying, the princess and the hero had gained the unanimous love of the people. In their eyes, they were their savors, the ones who freed them from a dark apocalypse. In greatful adoration, they showed their loyalty to the princess and the approval of her hero. To the people, their marrige would be as welcome of an occasion as it was for Link and Zelda themselves.

As Zelda continued to watch as Link drew ever closer to the castle, Impa bowed humbly and began to take her leave. "I will send him up here when he arrives, your highness," she said quietly as she exited the room.

The princess nodded her thanks silently and turned her attention back to her approaching hero, but not before taking another quick look at her drawing. Her eyes caught onto the goddess and her hero for a moment as she wondered about the nature of their love. The history books and legends gave very little to the imagination, but Zelda surmised that it must have been quite similar to her and Link's relationship. They most likely started out as childish, innocent friends, only for the peaceful days of youth to escalate into danger and turmoil. And yet through that turmoil, a romance began to bloom until it grew into something deep and beautiful. They most likely went to any resort to preserve their love and each other, and it was because of that devotion that they conquered the darkness that sought to destroy them both. And from there, their love lasted, peaceful and strong, for the rest of their days until it passed into legend. And as those thoughts ran through her head, Zelda couldn't help but wonder if a similar cycle of friendship, romance, and love would continue on into the future and the princess of Hyrule in those days would fall in love with the next hero and together they would use that love to banish the threat of evil from the land once and for all.

She stared at the picture for a moment longer as she looked at herself and her own hero in the center. They both looked so fierce and brave, so undaunted by the wicked woman that had come so close to claiming both of their lives. But the princess knew better. She knew that they had both experienced the worst fear that could have ever tormented them: the fear of loosing each other. That fear of the loss of the love that they had always had for each other drove them both to desperate measures, and in the end, they had been rewarded for their endless pursuit of that love.

Perhaps it had always been fate's design for them to win in their fight against the darkness, but Zelda believed that it had been something stronger than fate. Destiny had bound them together before either of them were even born. They were bound by their status among mortals: as the last heir to the Hylian royal family and the last heir to the Knights of Hyrule. They were bound by the titles that they had inherited: as the one of the blood of the goddess and the one of the spirit of the hero. They were even bound by the pieces of the golden relic that they were chosen to yield: as the daughter of Wisdom and the son of Courage. But, in truth, they were bound by something so much deeper than any of those things. It was something that was independent of titles, statuses, inheritance, and even destiny itself. It was something that was stronger and deeper than any of those things. There was only one thing that always had and would eternally bind the Princess of Destiny and the Hero of Time to each other and that one, simple, yet incredible force, could only be called love.

_End of Book 2_

* * *

**And... IT IS DONE! That's right, folks, WISDOM AND COURAGE IS OVER! This is the end! Well... except for the afterword, which is just going to be me rambling on about the rest of the trilogy and the sequel to this story, so I encourage you to check it out once I post it! So, I guess I'll save all the wrappings up for then... Until Next Time!**


	39. Afterword

_Afterword_

Its a bittersweet thing, finishing a story that you've been working on for the past several months, pouring all of your spare time into it and praying and hoping for reviews and followers. You start out with a single idea, one that your mind builds upon and builds upon until it becomes something so much bigger than your original intent. You grow with your story, learning how to craft a better tale in words, descriptions, emotion and plot and you reread through it every now and then, kicking yourself for every lousy wording or editing mistake. And, as you think ahead to what you want to write in the future, you plan, drawing from what you've already written so your readers will recognize those connections and so will you. And when its all said and done, you take great pride in your work and get ready to start your next adventure.

It all began in the month of October 2012. Amidst being busy with a Twilight Princess story that portrayed the events of the game through Midna's point of view (Princess of Darkness), an Ocarina of Time story that shipped Link and Sheik (I'll see you again), and a full retelling of Hyrule's history (The Legend of Hyrule), a sudden idea came to me. If I remember correctly, I was playing Skyward Sword and I was beating it for the second or third time. I had just beaten Demise and what he said after the battle caught my attention for the first time. To quote the game exactly:_ "My hate never perishes... It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again! Those like you... those with the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero... They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time_!" Upon seeing this, I immediately knew that the cycle he was referring to was the Legend of Zelda series in and of itself, explaining why Link and Zelda are always reincarnated throughout the series and the origin of Ganondorf, but I wondered, what if the spirit of the hero and the blood of the goddess were elaborated upon a bit more...

I let that idea flitter to the side for a while as another one came to me. I had been thinking for a while about writing a story set in the world of Ocarina of Time, where a new villain would capture all three holders of the Triforce, but I didn't really develop it too much. Originally I wanted to entitle such a story to be Power, Wisdom and Courage, and have equal emphasis based upon Ganondorf, Zelda and Link, respectively, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to craft a romance, as it has always been my strong suit. So, I changed the title to Wisdom and Courage and started crafting the first few chapters of the story. I've always been interested in the child split of the Zelda timeline, since it only has three games that are very loosely connected in it. So, I decided that my story would be set within the child timeline, seven years post Majora's Mask to be precise. This allowed me to easily add direct references to Majora's Mask, but I didn't want to stop there. I took a look back at MM to see what things I specifically liked about it and there was one thing in particular that has always interested me about it: the Fierce Deity's Mask. So little is known about it in game and I knew that there was so much potential I could untap with it in a dramatic narrative. Hence the addition of the FDM into the story as well as the appearance of Termina itself. Around this time, I also tried to come up with a good idea for a villain for the story. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to have a female villain, since the Zelda series rarely sees any. So I looked to past female villians in the series for inspiration and only found 2: Twinrova (which wasn't really the kinda villain(s) I was looking for) and Veran (who was EXACTLY the kind of villainess I was looking for). Veran was stylish, conniving, mysterious, wicked... nothing less than the perfect baddie for the story I was trying to create! So I decided to ultimately make Veran the villain, though I made her a different person from the Veran who appears in Oracle of Ages, ya know, for timeline purposes. Somewhere along the way, I realized just how much Veran looks like a Twili and I thought "well, maybe I could make her a Twili in my story and reference Twilight Princess!" From there, everything started coming together all at once: the Dark Interlopers, the Twili, the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero, the Fierce Deity's Mask, and all the other Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword references that I wanted to make. Eventually, I came to the point where I could not keep all of this history contained in one single story, so I decided to write a trilogy all based around these similar themes and plot points, spanning all three games: Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. And, as it pleases me to say, the first story to be written in this trilogy and the second story chronologically, Wisdom and Courage, is finally complete.

As a writer, I think that I have grown so much over the course of writing Wisdom and Courage. By looking over the course of my work, its easy to say that the beginning was rough, but as it carried on, the more deep and extensive it came to be. The drama, the romance, the lore, everything improved as it went along and I have enjoyed writing it immensely. I hope that all of you, my loyal readers, have enjoyed it as well. And so, in appreciation, I wish to acknowledge all of you who have reviewed, followed and favorited. First of all, I want to express my thanks to my regular reviewers, who have reviewed five or more chapters: Mekuda, Zelink005 (and no I certainly do not mind if you recommend this story on tumblr! I love promotion! :D), Rosa Bella Mortiferum, Beforethedawnbreaks, Synea827, TechyZeldaNerd, and silverhawk88. THANKS so much too all of you, I always looked forward to your positive comments! And here is a shout out to everyone else who has praised this story along the way: Clairae, Thearux, CaptainAzenor, PrincessZelda450, iranda20, Leina16, ash, Yuuten Keidy, AnimeMaster24, bigblue88112, Anonymous, shadow djinni, TheJediAvenger (wink, wink to you JediAvenger lol ;D), Sparxthehedgehog, fireygummybears, Vocaloid302, and any and all guest reviewer who I might have missed or who are reviewing after I post this. To all of you guys who reviewed: YOU ARE AWESOME! No joke, I love you all! You are the very reason why I write. I wouldn't be lying if I told you I teared up a little while reading a few of your reviews, some of them were just so sweet! So, thanks again!

Now, for a special thanks to all 52 of you who followed my story as of the time I am posting this: AmyVideogamer, AnthonyBarker7, Beforethedawnbreaks, Cerberuswolf, Clairae, ColossusProblematic, Erianne, EruvielTindomerel, Fingolfin521, Gabrielus Prime, Hylian Mage, IasWraith, Jordan2k4, LEva114, Lenia16, Link13PGF, Linkfreak210, Lunar Blossoms, Mattariago, Mekuda, Michiefmanaged2371, Neko x3, Nintendoman01, PrincessZelda450, Reevees, Rosa Bella Mortiferum, SB2Lazy, SailorZelda64, SierraPotter, Synea827, Taichi L. Yagami, TechyZeldaNerd, TheJediAvenger, Vocaloid302, Wraith Five, aloof-kokiri, amwick, anaaaa.k, beatstarz, bigblue88112, blueberryblitz19, cody1989, d-saintsation-b, erico637, fireygummybears, hoozemy, iamfinalfantasy, kagomekikyo-arrow, kittykruger, runnergirl1228, supersmach, xzelda1478, and anyone else who might follow this story later on! Love you guys! Hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I loved writing it and if you want more, well there is definitely going to be more in the future, as we'll discuss in a minute.

But first, I wanna thank the 30 of you how favorited this story as of now: CaptainAzenor, Chewy Paper, Clairae, DaMan23, Farli30519, Fingolfin521, Jordan2k4, Lenia16, Link13PGF, Link The Hero of Light, Linkfreak210, Luna Blossoms, Mekuda, Nint3ndozzzz, Nintendoman01, PrincessZelda450, Rosa Bella Mortiferum, Vocaloid302, Yuuten Keidy, aloof-kokiri, amwick, beatstarz, blueberryblitz19, bo mayor of ordon, cody1989, fireygummybears, goldenwolfey, hoozemy, kittykruger, xiaanddeltrioprincess5685 and everyone else who might favorite this story later on! Let me share a little secret with you guys: this is my favorite story out of all the many that I have written! So I feel you guys, I really do! Thanks again!

And now, its time for my disclaimer so Nintendo won't sue poor little ol me. The Legend of Zelda series and everything that it encompasses does not belong to me. It never has and it never will (sad, I know). Its many wonderful characters, including Link, Zelda, Veran, Sheik, Impa, Malon, the Fierce Deity, Navi, Tatl, Fi, Hylia, Din, Nayru, Farore, Saria, Nabooru, Romani, Cremia and anyone else who graced us with their presence in this tale are not mine (though sometimes I wish Link was mine ;) what can I say? I can't help it! I've always had a crush on him!) Its fantastic locations, from Termina to Hyrule and all of their provinces do not belong to me. Its items, including the Master Sword (though I do own a replica Master Sword), the Triforce, the Bow of Light, the Ocarina of Time (I also have a replica of that, and it sounds lovely!), and all other Zelda items seen in the games are not mine. Anything else that comes from any of the games I received inspiration from (Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword) does not belong to me, but the scenario of this story is largely my own unless it comes from a game itself. I also want to reference Hyrule Historia as a source of sorts, since it helped me work my way through so much of lore related things and I also want to give a shout out to Zelda Wiki, which also really helped me along my way when it came to the tiny details. But all in all, everything you see is pretty much owned by Nintendo. So there! Now they can't sue me!

Ok so, now that all of that business is out of the way, its time to talk sequels, prequels and trilogies! And, I think I shall start with the direct sequel to this story...

**Always**-Ok, like I mentioned a few chapters back, I am writing a sequel for Wisdom and Courage called Always. It is going to be written in Zelda's point of view, because after writing Wisdom and Courage, I really miss writing in first person and because of the story that I plan on telling. This will start immediately after the epilogue and will tie up a few plot threads that I didn't get around to finishing up in Wisdom and Courage (oh and to answer your question Mekuda, Saria and Nabooru will appear in it, so we will find out what happened to them!). The basic plot that I can concisely give right now goes something like this: Even though the people of Hyrule approve of Link and Zelda's engagement, the royal concil of Hyrule are vehemently opposed to it. So much that they try to convince the princess to marry another suitor, Kline, the handsome and charming prince of Asailia, mostly military country that neighbors Hyrule to the north. Of course, Zelda refuses to break off her engagement with Link, but even the councilors do not know of Kline's hidden, manevolent agenda: to force the princess into marrying him so he can take the throne of Hyrule for himself upon her death, which he intends to set up as soon as they are married. Zelda quickly finds out about his plan, but before she can tell Link or anyone else, he reveals to her that he has spies stationed throughout the castle, watching her every move and making sure that she can't escape, lest he order his vast armies to attack Hyrule. A prisoner within her own castle, the princess must make a choice: break off her engagemennt with her beloved hero and marry the tyrannical prince or watch as her kingdom is plummeted into another war immediately after its healing. And that's all I can say about it at the moment! I acually have this one outlined from beginning to end, and I can tell you that if you love romance, drama, political intruige, stealth, tension, angst, some actiona and all those things, well, you willl definately love this story! It will be independent of the trilogy, but it will make frequent refrences to it and SS, and will foreshadow the events of TP in many ways ;D Look for it sometime soon, because I plan on starting it when I've written a little for my NEXT story in the Bound Destinies Trilogy...

**Blood and Spirit**-Most likely, at the time that I'm writing this, the first chapter for this story will be posted by the end of this week... :) yeah, I'm that eager! Anyway, this one will serve as the actual Book 1 in the Bound Destinies Trilogy, with Wisdom and Courage being changed to Book 2. I'm kinda writing these out of order, but hey, doesn't Nintendo make these games out of order as well? Hahaha... Anyway, Blood and Spirit will be set like a month or so after Skyward Sword. I'll try not to go into too much detail as I explain its plot so you can see it play out for yourself ;) Basically, it follows a lot of things that I described in the later chapters of this story. It starts with Link and Zelda living on the surface together (you know, following the ending of SS). One day, they stumble upon the entrance to Termina and find it in a war-torn state. Majora has only just been sealed away by the goddess Terminus' hero, who was corrupted by the demon and turned into the Fierce Deity. Majora, with its strong evil powers, bends the Deity to its will and forces him to hunt down Terminus and kill her so it can come back from its seal. Terminus begs Link to fight the Deity, in the hopes of restoring him to his former self. The two heroes face off and in the end, the Deity is defeated, but just barely. Zelda and Terminus create the Song of Healing in an attempt to restore the Deity, but they are only able to free him from Majora's control. Terminus seals the Deity's soul away in a mask and hides it away to protect its great, god-like power. Link and Zelda return from Termina but all is not well. Unbeknownst to Zelda, Link was wounded in the fight against the Deity and was also filled with Majora's corrupting power. Because of his strong spirit, the hero is able to supress it and hide his wound from Zelda as not to worry her, but slowly but surely he starts loosing himself, physically and mentally. To make matters worse, a rouge group of Sheikah, who have turned against the goddess under the direction of their cruel and ruthless leader Veress, make their daring move against the two of them, capturing Zelda and nearly killing Link. The hero is found and saved by as group of Sheikah who are still loyal to Hylia, led by Sheik (not the same Sheik from OoT), a descendant of Impa. With their help, Link must save Zelda once more, while defending both the sky and the surface from these "Dark Interlopers" and trying to overcome his own corruption. And that's all I can say about it at the moment! If you want more, then lets just say it will be intense! And I guess I can say that it will refrence things from both Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, as well as the later two parts of the trilogy. I hope that this one can get its start sometime soon, because I already have so many ideas for it! It will have romance, action, drama, angst, tension, and anything else you can think of! So either keep your eyes peeled for it or follow me because its coming soon!

**Light and Shadow**-Ok, so this one is a little far off, but I think I should discuss it here anyway. Light and Shadow is going to serve as Book 3 of the Trilogy, the final story in it. It will be set in the immediate aftermath of Twilight Princess and I can give you a rough plot sypnosis since I haven't worked out quite as many details about it yet: The story will start with Verona, Veran's descendant (prophesied about in W&C) and Minda's cousin, launches a huge attack over the Twilight Realm in the immediate aftermath of Zant's fall. She manages to conquer the realm and gravely injure Minda, who is barely escapes from the Palace of Twilight with her life. She uses some old, forbidden Twili magic to make her way back to Hyrule, desperately seeking the aid of the only person she knows can help her. Meanwhile, Link starts settling back into his old life in Ordon and kindles a comfortable romance with Ilia. However, all too soon that normality is shattered, when Princess Zelda sends for the hero, wanting to thank him for his aid in person. Link meets with the princess and quickly forms a close bond with her, that soon starts to become something more. However, in the midst of being torn between Ilia and Zelda, Link reunites with Midna, who warns him that Verona is coming to Hyrule to steal the Triforce and kill the one with the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero. And sure enough, she soon arrives, determined not to fail where her ancestor had... And I am tempted to reveal more, but that's all I can really say at the moment! This one won't be coming along for a while now, not until after Blood and Spirit is done, but when it does come it will be EPIC! Keep a look out for this one as well!

And that's it for my future projects! I am going to be a very busy bee in the next few months, but as far as I can see, I am going to have such a fun time writing all of it! And I am going to make a promise right now, that I will NEVER abandon this trilogy or put it on hiatus. At the most, writers block and life will keep me from posting chapters as quickly as I like, but I will try my hardest because I love my readers and I just love writing in general! So, my beautiful readers, thanks again for all of your support! I hope you have enjoyed Wisdom and Courage as much as I have and I hope that you all continue to follow my stories into the future! And, for the last time (in this story, at least)...

**UNTIL NEXT TIME! XD**


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